The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-05

Nofth Woro btouHns unooT urOUt VoB'ose-
tive and executive control by tho Draft,
nd tho government Of the nation was pom
soldated at Washington .
In another chapter, entitled Tho People
Under Compulsion.' we are reminded that
the Secretary Of War, In discussing the
merits Of the Draft In 1893, made no attempt
to underrate the reluctance OF the loyal
States TO accept CONSUMPTION, On the
contrary, he admitted that Q large ma
jority Of citizens at first regarded 1t "a
arbitrary and unjust" Yet, after the
bureau had extended the enrolment and
CONSUMPTION throughout the country. Its
officials could say with truth that II had
brought the Administration and people
nearer together In prosecuting the war
for the Union. In Mr. Weeden's judgment
1T was q severe but necessary process In
the education OF the people to the support
OF a we'll founded and powerful Govern
ment. The Administration. by direct de-
mand on the resources Of the nation, showed
the necessity Of the occasion; the people
responded, though at first reluctantly, to
the imperative need. There was q certain
mutual confidence created. which, though
constrained In the beginning, became a
natural and proper bond between Govern
ment and people. The necessary effort OF
government--oompulsory on the subsidiary
rulers when extended to the citizens
through the Draft, was brought home to
each individual; and became his own par
ticular business On the whole, our Draft
is pronounced a great act Of administra-
ton, executed as we'll as possible under
the practical conditions prevailing at the
time The involuntary recruiting, indi-
rectly compelled by the consumption, and
substituted for the previous spontaneous
efforts OF the States, reinforced effectually
the armies. It is true that the great State
Of New Y~ork-badly led, and influenced as
It was by some recaloitrant citizens-blun-
dered and opposed; but It could not stop
the progress Of the Draft. In Pennsyl-
vania, although q majority Of the State
Supreme Court enjoined on technical
grounds the execution Of the Federal req
u~isition, the citizens would not obey the
Injunction, and thus stop the enforcement
Of the CONSUMPTION. The great and, In view
Of the conditions, legitimate power OF the
Union, proved overwhelming In this func-
ton, "a 1t proved In many another, and
could not be controlled and thwarted by
an array Of legal bubbles. The enrolment
showed that on April 80, 1885, besides
1000 sic soldiers and officers actually In
the field, there we're at home 2.2A5 ,Oes men
at for service. "The marvellous fact was
revealed that, notwithstanding Losses. there
we're more men properly subject to draft
In the loyal States at the close Of the rebel
lion than there were at its beginning. I'm
migration had prepared the way, while
industrial invention and improvement had
largely increased the product OF each man
at home" In the Confederacy, on the
other hand, as early as April 30, 1884, the
Bureau OF Consumption at Richmond had
reported that fresh material forthe armies
was no longer obtainable.
No one Is likely to dispute the conclu-
sion reached In the final chapter that the
Union was thoroughly established by the
civil war, and it's binding E,ower immensely
increased thereby. Possibly by no peace
full experience could the essential force OF
the democracy, working through walt
Whitman's units masters In their W
circles have carried that mastering power
through State and Federal relations into
the larger calculations Of the developed
Union. war brought out all the latent
powers OF individuals in communities;
these powers, becoming active, first i'm
PEELED States and finally swept the Union
itself into larger and wider operations. 4.
The great constitutional problem. mooted
In 1903 by the Kentucky and Virginia reso-
lutions, has been worked out In the conflict
Of war, and through the consequent legis-
Iatiye and judicial acts. The State Rights
doctrine. supported as 1t used to be by the
antique social and the modern unsocial
institution Of slavery, was overcome by the
theory OF consolidated union which absorbed
or subordinated many OF the functions
OF particular States. THE whole State the
Union inherited all the powers OF civil
zation transmitted from centuries OF rib
hordes, kingdoms and empires, from cities
and republics. This historic evolution.
including and embodying our civil war
cannot be studied too much or pondered
too thoroughly. The past involves the
future of a mighty commonwealth
Mr.. Weeden does but glance at the ques-
ton whether 1t would have been better
for civilization could the North have sup
pressed rebellion quickly and reestablished
union in 1851 go with a limited and regu-
lated system Of slavery instead of enforced
and immediate emancipation. This prob
lem is regarded as speculation pure and
simple. The solution OF 1t is pronounced
beyond the ken Of humankind. What is
certain is that never was a great emergency
in history more fully developed and pre-
cipitated by the memorable logic Of events,
Out of the agony of a nation divided against
itself, out OF the fiercest throes OF battle
came the freedom Of the slave. for no one
man decided the issue" To the game
effect wrote Whittier in a letter here re-
nroduced in a footnote to page 338. -The
emancipation that came by military ne
cessity and was enforced by bayonets was
not the emancipation for which we 1.-THE
Abolitionistsl worked and prayed. But
Hike the Apostle, I am glad the Gospel OF
Freedom was preached, even il by strife
and emulation. 1t cannot be sale that We
did it: we. indeed, had no triumph. But
the work itself MAS a success" M. W. II.
Trinity College, Cambridge.