revised views and amended feelings ; and therefore I say, Through, through ! [Great applause.] When I say that we ought to shout this same through, in the loudest accents to our people fit to enlist, I must not be understood to have harbored any fear that there is not a sufficient degree of patriotism in the breasts of our people. Far from it. Never has a people shown itself more patriotic, more patient and forbearing, more ready. It happens that this very morning I received a letter from a distinguished lawyer and legislator a true Union man in St. Louis, Missouri, and in that letter there is a passing passage which, (if you will permit rne to read it,) you will perceive chimes in with the theme which occupies our attention now. He says : "That among those best informed no apprehension is felt for the new call for volunteers. Governor Gamble has received more than fifty letters, some before, some since the call, from men in all parts of this State, (Missouri,) asking authority to recruit companies, regiments, and in one case, a brigade the last from an officer just recovered from a wound, who is confident of raising it. In Illinois I hear of the same spirit ; the only thing which may for a while check rapid enlistments, being the abundant harvest now being gathered." [Cheers.] So far my Missouri friend. But there is another thing that may temporarily interfere, or at least somewhat retard the desired enlistment. The call for recruits is comparatively a small one. The President, you know, calls for three hundred thousand men. This is, in fact, a large number of men, but, comparatively speaking, considering the population of the North, it is a small number. Only about fifty thousand are required from this State. Now who doubts if there had been a necessity for the President to call for the services of every one who can shoulder a musket, that the people would rush en masse, in response to the call ? But when a limited number is required and called for, many of the fifty thousand who are wanted, are disposed to say, " I need not volunteer ; my services will not be required, for my neighbor will go." For that reason I am inclined to believe that we ought to resort to the draftino- law. I know that does not sound well to the ears of the Americans, because drafting has been made use of by despotic governments, and has been resorted to in the South, by what I have not the least doubt is a despotic government. But drafting is not necessarily a despotic measure. The advantage of it would be, that it would make recruiting and enlisting more regular. If the Government should adopt such a measure, I think it would work well. Drafting, too, would touch the wealthy idlers, at least so far as to make them contribute a round sum for a substitute, if they should insist upon thrusting away the sword which their country offers them, and decline the honor to fight for their imperiled country. At any rate, as men are wanted speedily, the adoption of this system would give us the men immediately, while the small number called for, and the approaching harvest, may have a tendency to prevent the rush of young men which would otherwise take place. Fellow-citizens, I have spoken a longer time than is appropriate for the initiatory remarks of a presiding officer ; but who can help it, in times like these, on themes like ours ? The declaration and resolutions will now be read to you. Dr. LIEBER sat down amid prolonged applause.
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