Year: 1864




We have three planks In our Presidential plat
form. Upon this first plank We accept Mr..
Lincoln as he stands. But we want an answer
from General Mcclellan. it


The Reported Draft . Fictien-The


Real Plan by which Our Armies are
60 be Kept Euii. ve+


1t has been widely reported that there Is to
be another draft Immediately after the cleo
ton. This story is false. It was invented, OF
course, for electioneering purposes by the
party which just now makes 1t its principal
business to let the people know great deal
peace. This party has spread the fiction indus
triously, in the hope to frighten man here
and there, and thus to influence vote against
Mr.. Lincoln, who is understood to be the father
Of all the drafts-though, we believe, there is
no doubt that the man who first urged the en-
forcement OF the draft was General Mcclellan.


There is not to be another draft, either be-
fore the election or after IT.; but Of course the
government will soon want more men, and we
are therefore glad to learn that measures are
finally to be taken to establish sensible, per-
manent recruiting system. Men are mot scarce
in this country, and the last call has demon
strated that by proper measures and liberal
bounty any number can be had Men can be
had in the Western States for three hundred
dollars. 1t is proposed to offer five hundred
dollars as a permanent bounty. This sum
makes an allowance for the various expenses
of the recruit, or even of those who find him
and bring him forward. and still leaves
good margin for tie benefit Of the
recruit or his family. It gives good
sum, also, as a basis for the opera
tions aud activity of that large number OF
persons who will thus be induced to lend their
energies to the good cause of filing our armies.
Recruiting will thus become permanent busi-
city and village, and will, for the first time in
the history Of our war, be effective and produc-
tive Of great results.


Not on,y will this system enable the army to
draw regularly and properly upon our own
population, but it will also tap for our benefit
the immense and discontented population Of


Europe. Much has been said in British papers
of the activity Of United States army agents in


England, Ireland and Germany. Up to the
present time the army has not been greatly in
creased by their efforts; but 1t may be supposed
that those efforts have by this time made il
pretty we'll known In those countries that large
sums are paid here for soldiers, aud that is
enough. Hundreds and thousands of families
that have looked longingly towards life Of
comparative affluence in this country, ba!


hardly hoped that they would ever have the
means to come here, will now see the way
clear. One son can pay the passage Of
father, mother and two or three sisters. Two
sons can pay the passage of all the family, and
have enough left to buy farm in tho fruitful


Western acres. Let it not be thought that this
is visionary. For generations the German and
French peasants have reasoned in this very
way. One son has gone into the army to insure
the comfort OF the rest Of the family, In mil


lions Of instances fin that very class Of peasant.


who now have the most ardent longing to come
to the United States. Thus, this system ofper


manent bounty, while it will keep up the army
will also prove to be great system Of induce
ment to emigration.


Properly worked, there is hardly limit ia
what can bc done by such system both here
and in Europe. 1t can be made to give us halt
a million of men by next May-and should do
so. This system will, we have no doubt, mos,
triumphantly prove that we should have done
better II we bad never bad any draft at all.