The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-07-31
THE DRAFTED MEMS CLAIMS.
slower Of Justice" Replies 10 the Eve
ming Times.

Editor SITTER: The Evening Times
OF last Monday copied my letter on
the direct tax and the drafted men,
published in your issue of the 10th
inst, and then proceeded to make
The following remarks, which are here
given entire:
A most ridiculous idea, favored only by
drafted men. But one part only of the
above letter is correct, and that is the first
seuteuce.
1t is surprising to think that the SITTER,
or any other paper for that matter, "can
look upon this matter sobcrly" and take
stand supporting the drafted men, and
it is also surprising to think that the SIF
TER could "make the notion" conscien-
tiously, that the drafted men have their
| $500 refunded, and IL Is worse still to
| think that it is Brattleborean that sec
onds the motion. The fright and justice
of refunding the $500 so paid" has never
been "forcibly shown through the col
umns of the SITTER" or any toher paper.
There is no right or justice init !
| Indeed it is true that the drafted men
are few in number and have little political
influence, but their influence is now great
er than it should be. A man to whom
$780, or even far greater amount, is
more valuable than his country, is entitled
| to as little influence as can be thrust upon
him. Supposing, for instance, all of our
soldiers had been composed of the same
material as thousand of drafted men, and
they had $500 at their disposal; where
would our country be now The drafted
mans money went for good cause, and
they should be wiling to let the matter
rest as it is. Refunding their money
would be disgrace to them if they
should accept it, and at the same time
be an injustice to the soldier who was
manly enough to shoulder a heavy mus
ket and risk his life for his country.
Those who were not patriotic enough for
this should consider themselves very for
tunate by getting off for less than nom
inal fee. They loved their lives better
than their country, and now, through the
desperate efforts of braver men, they have
both lives and country, at the expense of
$500 and the lives of Thousands of brother
Americans.
1t is to be hoped that the SITTER will
hereafter look upon the right side of this
matter, and support the fighters and not
the ones that thought the least of their
| country.
How a person can pen letter like the
above, and sign himself ga Lover of JUS
tice," is a mystery to fair-miDded people.
Undoubtedly the author is one of the vic
tins of so-called "injustice," and needs
this rebate no more than cat needs two
| tails.
If these drafted men succeed in having
their money refunded they will not be
satisfied unless they receive interest, and
may in time have face enough to ask for
apension
For downright Stiffness this would
shame the historic Thompson's colt
that swan the river to drink from a
mud puddle. To alleviate the suffer
ings of this Thompson scott writer,
who laments the fact that a Brattle-
boroan seconds the motion, beg to
state that there are many men in
| Brattleboro who fail to discern why
it can be matter of right to refund
$4,000 to the State, furnished for
carrying on the war, and not the $500
furnished by individuals.
The imputation that the drafted
men thought more of the $500 than
of their country is entirely uncalled
for and is ungentlemanly, to say the
least. 1t might be said, and with the
same propriety, that all able-bodied
men who failed to enlist were desti-
tute of patriotism and thought more
of the comforts and safety of home
than of their country. Neither is
true. Thousands of men whose love
of country was at least equal to that
of the editor of the Times, were SC
situated that they could not leave
their families or business. This was
equally true with the drafted men
The draft was no respecter of person
The draft lightning struck where il
listeth. We instance an actual case
A man 35 years of age, in very mod
crate circumstances and with an in,
valid wife and three helpless children
and with no relatives, in a condition
to care for them, was drafted. Thi:
man by mortgaging his little all
raised the $500 and staid at home
i Now will the editor of the Times say
that this man was coward that tht
commutation money was more valu
able to him than his country Well
! thousands of drafted men were, likt
him, so situated that they could not
in Justice to their families, 90 to war
. and such thrusts as are attempted t.
be given by this editor, who by thu
way is in his swaddling clothes, is en-
tirely unworthy of a gentleman.
He says the drafted mems none,
went for a good cause. Updoubted
". So also was the money furnished
by the state that is now to be refund
ed. Why doesn't the Times raise ;
howl over it and say that the State
thinks more of this sum than of it
country, and that it is an insult t.
the soldier for the state to take this
money