Marshall County Republican

GOOD READING FOR DRAFT RESISTERS, ALIAS DEMOCRATS.

Their Candidate for President Recommends Drafting Three Years Ago.

The first man in the country to recommend the draft was General George B. McClellan, the Copperhead nominee for President. This he did more than three years ago, at a time when volunteers were pouring into Washington by regiments and brigades. In August of 1861, just a month after the battle of Bull Run, he wrote to the President as follows:

"WASHINGTON, August 29, 1861.
Sir: I have just received the enclosed dispatch in cypher. Colonel Marcy knows what he says and is of the coolest judgment.
I recommend that the Secretary of War ascertain at once by telegram how the enrollment proceeds in New York and elsewhere, and that, if it is not proceeding with great rapidity, drafts to be made at once. We must have men without delay.
"Respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding."

The following is a copy of the urgent note of Colonel Marcy, his father-in-law and chief of staff:

"New York, August 20. 1861.
"I urge upon you to make a Positive and Unconditional Demand for an Immediate Draft of the additional troops you require. Men will not volunteer now, and drafting is the only successful plan.
THE PEOPLE WILL APPLAUD SUCH A COURSE,
Rely upon it. I will be in Washington to-morrow,
R. B. MARCY."

Shortly after the battle of Antietam McClellan again wrote to the President urging him to resort to conscription to fill up the army. The letter is as follows:

Headquarters Army of the Potomac,)
October 27. 1862.
Your Excellency is aware of the very great reduction of numbers that has taken place in most of the old regiments of this command, and how necessary it is to fill up these skeletons before taking them again into action. I HAVE THE HONOR, THEREFORE, TO REQUEST THAT THE ORDER TO FILL UP THE OLD REGIMENTS WITH DRAFTED MEN MAY AT ONCE BE ISSUED.
GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,
Major General Commanding.

What do you think of that, ye howlers against "ruthless conscription?" Will you denounce your favorite as you have the President? or will you attempt to seek some plea to justify him, and thus demonstrate that all your talk about "ruthless conscription," etc., was nothing more than the vilest kind of party clap-trap? Come, speak out, we are anxious to hear what you have to say about it. We propose that the next speech the "only first-class lawyer in Plymouth" makes, instead of telling his old, worn-out, thread-bare cucumber story, that he take these two letters of the immaculate George B., and tell his audience what he thinks of the "ruthless conscription" recommended by his favorite.