Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-06-27
The Congressional Question.
Letters of Correspondents.

feelings, however hard the knocks may be. He IS
dissatisfied with my parry of his objections to Gen.
Garields return to Congress; he say / do not meet
them IA irly and squarely, bat seek to cover them,
&c, &c. The fact is. 1 did not regard Garfeld's
P~ortaRse, now that peace reigns, to look up its
history. But as the Generals opponents are trying
to make capital out of it, against him, whilst he
Is absent attending to business in Congress, / pro-
pose now to look at it for q moment.
In passing let me remark, that this is the only
District, that l know Of in Ohio, where this matter
is found fault with. or brought up as an objection
againstthose who supported it. 1t will be remem-
bered that the Provo Marshal of this place gave so
wild a construction to the bill, a construction so
absurd as to render it so utterly offensive, that the
Head Of the Bureau, at once came out. and set
said construction aside, as visionary and totally
wrong. The friends of the same Provost Marshal
are now using the measure against Gen. Garfield.
Reader, make your own comment thereon, and
govern yourself accordingly.
troubles my friendly" 50 largely. that he cannot
sleep "o'Rights. The main criticisms on this
matter, refer to Section "A. which follows, and
which I give in full. from the Globe. through which
l have been recently looking. Here is the Sec
ton;
ter all persons mustered into the military or ma
val service, whether as volunteers. substitutes,
representatives. or otherwise, shall be credited to
the state, and to the ward. township, precinct or
other enrolment sub-district, where such persons
belong by actual residence iii such person have an
actual residence within the United States:) and
where such persons were or shall be enrolled (f
liable to enrollment.l and it is hereby made the
duty of the Provost Marshal Generals to make such
rules and give such instructions to the several Pro-
vOst Marshals, boards of enrolment, and muster
ing officers, as shall be necessary TOR the faithful
enforcement of the provisions OF this section, to
the end that fair and just credit snail be given to
every section of the country Provided, that in
any call for troops hereafter no county, district.
town. township. ward, precInetor eiectiGn GlsIiiet'
ed on said call, or the preceding call, by said
county, town, township, ward. precinct: or cleo
ton district, and mustered into the military ser
vice. on the quota thereof"
The criticisms upon this section. In the ChroRi-
Gle of March p. 1866. are triumphantly referred to
by several writer's in the interest of others. Those
criticisms, it must be remembered; were made
while the editor of the Chronicle. and the Provost
Marshall, Capt. Caldwell, Of the 18th District, as
well. supposed that no drafted man would be al
lowed to get a substitute, except IN his Own town
ship. which would have been unwise, oppressive
and extremely restrictive. But IN q subsequent
of the Chronicle, an order of the Provost
Marshall General was published, declaring what
was the plain meaning Of the Law that it did not
ship, a substitute, who was not liable to Hrounent
such as aliens. minors, and discharged, veteran
soldiers who had served twoyears. 1t did provide
that one township should not purchase as subst-
tutes. on its own quota, enrolled men from other
townships. whose quotas we're not yet hLed. Inc
of the Chronicle, therefore, being made
under . miSroncepfion Of the ;ew- amount 10 moth
ing, yet in their weakness those writers delight to
Dwell upon them as Of force and consequence.
ton between the Secretary of War, and the mill
tary committee, of which Gen. Garfield was a
prominent member, and, asisnOw well understood,
was strongly urged by Gen. Grant and President
Lincoln, as a necessary measure to keep up the
army. 1t was introduced into the House by Gen.
Schenck, chairman of the military committee,
2lst of February ensuing, when the section above
given was fully debated, freely discussed as will
be seen by a few extracts below.
Mr.. Stevens, of Penngylyania, who represents
Lancaster District, a very wealthy one by the
way, moved to strike the section out, remarking
that every man should be permitted to sell his
uoruTane for tho most mnnaU ha NOn1d ret and
that two full regiment might have been raised IN
his, (Stevens) county, for Gen. HancOcks corps, If
they had been allowed to take bounty from the
Gen. Garfield responded that probably the peo-
pie of Mr.. Stevens District, might fill their quota
more easily if they were suffered to hire enrolled
men. from other districts as substitutes. but it
would greatly wrong those poorer districts that
could not offer such high bounties, but must fur
niEh their full quota, after hundreds of their en-
rolled men hadbeen bought away from them by
the richer districts. He showed also that the old
law had given rise to the substitute brokerage.and
bounty jumping business, and that the substitutes
thus obtained had deserted from the army in vast
numbers. to amuch greater extent than volunteers
or drafted men,
and said that in his own precinct, thirty-nine citi-
zens had been hired as substitutes IN his neIghbor-
ing State. and his tSTPsnip b SUui mu nof I'M uh a. Gr ne
out of the enrolled men left.
Gen. Schenck, of Ohio, said. "the section, under
DEBATE 4e; viii L cure a oo TgTg grssi it SELF d " t RrsV eeptIeo
man from Pa INF. Stevens) the bidding of rich
districts and cities against each other, and the
drawing from the rural districts all their fighting
population. so as to render them unable to ill
their own quotas, when the draft comes" Many
other members expressed similar views.
The vote was taken. to strike out this dl9ut sec
ton, charged to Gen. Garfeld's account, and so
small a number favored the striking out that 1t
was lost without a count. The bill passed the
E%Tsf FeP nE If n NAN AN PRESENT p sen I STEVENS 4
INCLUDED, VOTED FOR THER1LL andsvsly
Kotandighqmer G2RPeTheGgG n Pf gsgt+v s M G9g;bbIers'
Now 7 put It to the -misera bic set OF MOWERS
scribblers, and stay at home pqtriossi Whetner 9en:
c%ountry's danger, in supporting a bill thought ne
cessary By such men as Stanton, Grant and Lin
coin! Gen. Garfield knew it was q severe meas
milder measure would compel him to withdraw
from before Richmond. VIII the glorious Union
NOT yoting against the bill. with those 46 miserable
Copperheads, who always voted, against every
needed war measure? Would they have been
better suited with him had he voted against the
Administration and with LONG, PeHdenoR. Rogers,
and the nfamous Fernando Wood of New York.
Would my friend Nv" been pleased TO see our no
Bile Representatives in such company Mol verify
Again; if the law was unwise is Gen. Garfield
alone responsible for its detectsE 1tneIs 10 De turn
ed out of Congress for his action in that case, then
the IS Union men with whom he acted and voted
should be turned out also. 1t should be remem-
bered that the COpperhead members. OF me Sotn
Congress. opposed every measure during the war
for filling up our army. and labored to make every
law as inefficient as possible and If the Union
mem bers mada too severe and stringent a law, 1t
was because they we're so earnest to give the army
In the field, all the support in their power. 1t Is
easy to ~criticise the wisdom Of a measure, after II
blemishes in another, opportunities will not be
wanting.
Ihaye reviewed this matter more at length than
I intended but inasmuch as Gen. Garfield IS at
tackled here in Youngstown, on account OF tins
measure. justice to him demands this much, Is
my friend SATISFIED Wit IA t ih6r sta Sa9e J6te y
on this bill with the enemies OF ms .eounuA with
the men who declared the war a failure. How Is
1t my triend2
views sonnd os fouching the loan bill. We have
not so EXPRESSED ourselves at any time Gen. Gar-
nelo was on the grou9G ma ne s%5eciaIIv in CHARGE
Occupying such position his opportunities tr cor
rect Judgment were eminent: IN an maiters o.
Inls kind I can tolerate d ants witS ne nDrest
intentions, free from all corrupt tanperlngs, we
must grant him the rights We claim Ior ourseLVes
Snd it Is exceedingly sma stsp Of difference. It 1
| only those 1890 who are seeking his place, OF
some subordinate position, which tneS nOps " .
cure through the election OF their Iasorits, v
opins. who are the chief instigatOrs OF this raid
WeWiIi NOT follow "W" thro, bis wanderings-
We have other matters of more consequence OF
hand just now. We intended to say sometnf1K oI
the general policy of -electlng mr naf;on, - aSfsir
gress, at this particular crises otour nallon dnal'
but the SUBJECTS ably discussed In anetnet e9lu ~,
to which the readers attention Is lnElUeGi O1
State Convention has set us a noble eAampie 81
ample. 1t has re-HomInatect M "a ssyerai places 81
well filed by them 1t Is vel. apa the 4niSSE q
win the people Of the 18th District St I;t, say Thf f0 C tbOs1
maIcontan1S tbosa stay at home patriots, who wer'
never willing to risk their lives for then county, radg,
no, never in a single instance; but are now uaoa'
cling the able member from this U district IA; anG r sIy,
aronDd MS Standard. and bear it aloft, as he die
his coantry's flag which we all SO dearly love an'
honor. -;u min in tbi
district, the banner district OF Ohlo' WI ~
imperiiied Country called for men TO detena ner
for brave men who were willing 70 IatS home
in their hands, and sacrifice eveIyuFfd I'll fbe sal,
happiness and all social enioyments, IoI = SCI,
of country, did either of those gentlemsII' ~,
their services in defence Of their eountLy eI Nv va
bit of IT. No not they. When zen; Sarleiu We
pursuing Gen. Marshall and his rebel bandit Z fhf e
Kentuckys Wilds and marshes. dld eltner ~ u
present Opponents seek to relieve him from audy
No verify. When risking his life upen n aiaos
oos, IIoo5- Io++Tn nald aid thew cry Tor ns pldee