Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-18

IRONOST AARsHAL GEhEhALS 3 OFFIOE,
WASHINGTON, D. G. Jan. Il, 1855.
His Excellencey Stephen Miller, Governor
of Minnesota:
SR.-Your communication of the Sd
instant, in relation to the quotas of the
districts in the State of Minnesota, has
been received, and in reply thereto have
the honor to state that
The call of the President for 100000
men, dated July lst 1864, having been
greatly reduced by credits on account of
army and navy enlistments, which had
not heretofore been credited, it became
necessary to make an additional call of
100000 men to make up the deficiency
and to preserve the present strength of
the army and navy.
1t was not expected that the call of July
Is, 1854, for SOC, 900 would put that num-
Der of men in service, because the act of
Congress under which the call was made
directed that all enlistments made in the
navy, from the commencement of the re-
bellion until the oath of February, 1864,
should be credited upon the quota, and
these, with other equitable claims for en-
listments not previously credited, reduced
that call and rendered necessary the one
of December l9, 1864, for 100000.
The object, therefore, of the last call is
to put three hundred thousand men in the
service. Whether they are enlisted for
one, two or three years they will be count
ed as units in filling the quota, and the
excess or credit which any locality may be
entitled to on account of filing its quota
| with three wears men. will hn ootiuIated in
the a-sisnnient Of future quotas, should
there be another call, upon the same prin-
ciple that has varied the quotas under the
present call, because some localities have
filed their quotas under the call cf July
lS, 1864; with three years men, and others
with one year men.
1t will be observed that the number of
men to be furnished under the present call
are not in proportion to the population Of
States or districts, nor to the number en-
rolled. Had all the localities filed the
call for 100000 with three years men, or
all one year men, or all in the same pro-
| portion of both, the number of men to be
furnished under the present call would be
in proportion to the number enrolled, and
approximate three ffths of the quota un-
der the call for 100000, varied only to cor
respond with the changes in the enrolment
as revised and corrected.
But as it would be unjust and illegal to
require district which had filed its quota
under the last call with three years men,
to furnish as many men under the present
call as an equal district which had filed
its qnota under the last call with one year
men, the former having furnished three
times the number of years of service which
the latter had furnished, it became neces-
ssry to estimate the number of years oil
service which each State, district and sub
district had furnished respectively, 80 that
in ascertaining the required number foT
each district, in order to obtain three hun
dred thousand men, each locality would
receive full credit for the number of years
of service furnished under the last call, OF
excess carried forward and credited upon
that call, previous calls being 6lled with
three years men, or enlistments reduced tc
the three years basis.
The call of December 19, 1864 having
been made to make up deficiencies under
the call Of July 18, 1864, it is not to be ex.
pected that the number of men required
from localities will correspond with the
number enrolled, or their quotas under tht
call for 100000. In order therefore, tt
ascertain what number of men is due from
q given district we must look to what il
actually furnished under the call of July
18 instead of what it was required to fur
nish. Thus, where two districts having
the same enrolment were required, undel
the call Of July Is, 1864, to furnish two
thousand men each, and one actually fur
nished but one thousand men, while tht
other filed its quota, It would not be Lawful
for the latter district, which had put tw,
thousand men in service, to be required
now to furnish the same number as tn
former, which had furnished only ont
thousand.
But suppose that both of the above dis
tricts had filed their quotas, the forme
with one year men, and the latter will
three years men, the one furnishing tw,
thousand and the other six thousand year
of service; now, as the law provides tina
quotas shall be assigned "among the dis
tricts of the several States, considering ant
allowing for the numbers already furnished
as aforesaid, and the time of their service,
in assigning a quota under call to max
up DEFICIENCIES, the deficiency of years serv
ice, as well as the deficiencies in the mum
Der, are to be estimated and the quotas va
ried accordingly.
AS before stated, the object of the pres
ent call is to raise 300, 900 men, and the,
will be required from the different local.
ties in proportion to the number enrolled
and the number which such localitie
we're deficient or in excess, under the csl
. for 100000.
This principle was announced from tn
F Provost Marshal Generals Bureau whel
the quotas under the call for 5000 Wer
announced or about that time (see opin
ion of Solicitor of War Department., AM
! the benefits that would result from thre
years enlistments and the law governing
the subject explained. To secure thre
; years men the government offered thre
hundred dollars bounty, and paid but on
hundred TO one year men; municipal su
thorities generally contributed local boun
ties in similar proportion.
The law having provided that the pc
, riods of service heretofore furnished should
be considered in assigning quotas, the ques
tion then to be determined is, at what tint
shall the credit be applied?
As it is impossible TO allow the fortun,
of each individual soldier, and reckon thu
period Of his actual service, it follows tina
either the credit for the period for which
they enlist should be given when the mer
enter the service, or withheld until the ex
piration of the three years term.
The rule has always been, under al
calls, then when soldier is accepted int
the service he is received and credited fol
the term of his enlistment or draft, The
government taking the responsibility thai
he will serve for the full period of his en-
listment, and in no case has any locality
been called upon to replace men lost tC
the service by death, disability or deser
ton.
Enlistments for six months, nine months
one and two years, under former calls,
were counted as of that term on entering