und
from their own experience how changed was the task when they assumed
the offensive and ventured to leave their own territory, with their
perfect knowledge of its topography and with a surrounding population
of sympathizers and helpers. In their first attempt at invasion
they did not get beyond cannon-sound of the Potomac, and in the
second they were turned back by the result of the first battle.
These facts do not impeach the prowess of the Confederate soldiery,
but they illustrate the task imposed on the Army of the Union and
they suggest the vast difference in the responsibilities which the
invading and the defensive forces were called upon to meet.

For so large an army as the Government of the Union was compelled
to raise, volunteering could not be relied upon as a steady resource
for recruitment. Great as was the ardor among the loyal people at
the beginning of the struggle, it was soon found, as it has always
been found in other nations, that unaided patriotism could not
supply the heavy demands constantly made to repair the waste from
the casualties of war and from the ravages of disease. The Act of
Congress of March 3, 1863, provided for the enrolment of all able-
bodied male citizens between the ages of twenty and forty-five
years, while the Act of February 24, 1864, granted freedom to all
male slaves between the ages of twenty and forty-five who might
enlist in the Northern armies. Reward was made to go with duty,
and by the Act of July 4, 1864, Congress ameliorated the rigors of
the conscription by paying to each drafted man a bounty for one
years' service, at the same time doubling and trebling the amount
for two and three years' service respectively. The Secretary of
War was by the same law directed to discharge from service at the
request of parents all persons under the age of eighteen years who
might have enlisted in the army, and it was made an offense punishable
with loss of commission for any officer knowingly to enlist a person
less than sixteen years of age. Conscription laws have been
unpopular in all countries, and though resisted among us on one
occasion with riot, they were upheld with strong courage by the
mass of the loyal people. Representatives in Congress who had
voted for the enactments were returned by large majorities, and
Mr. Lincoln was re-elected with an overwhelming expression of
popular favor at the very time when he was directing the enforcement
of the draft. The vote