Whereas  by  the  act  approved  July  4,  1864,  entitled  "An  act  further  to
regulate  and  provide  for  the  enrolling  and  calling  out  the  national  forces
and  for  other  purposes, "  it  is  provided  that  the  President  of  the  United
States  may,  "at  his  discretion,  at  any  time  hereafter,  call  for  any  num-
ber of  men,  as  volunteers  for  the  respective  terms  of  one,  two,  and  three
3^ears  for  military  service,"  and  "that  in  case  the  quota  or  any  part
thereof  of  any  town,  township,  ward  of  a  city,  precinct,  or  election  dis-
trict, or  of  a  county  not  so  subdivided,  shall  not  be  filled  within  the  space
of  fifty  days  after  such  call,  then  the  President  shall  immediately  order
a  draft  for  one  year  to  fill  such  quota  or  any  part  thereof  which  may
be  unfilled; "  and

Whereas  the  new  enrollment  heretofore  ordered  is  so  far  completed  as


Abraham  Lincoln  227

that  the  aforementioned  act  of  Congress  may  now  be  put  in  operation  for
recruiting  and  keeping  up  the  strength  of  the  armies  in  the  field,  for  gar-
risons, and  such  mihtary  operations  as  may  be  required  for  the  purpose
of  suppressing  the  rebelhon  and  restoring  the  authority  of  the  United
States  Government  in  the  insurgent  States:

Now,  therefore,  I,  Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States,
do  issue  this  my  call  for  500,000  volunteers  for  the  military  service:
Provided,  nevertheless,  That  this  call  shall  be  reduced  by  all  credits  which
may  be  established  under  section  8  of  the  aforesaid  act  on  account  of  per-
sons who  have  entered  the  naval  service  during  the  present  rebellion  and
by  credits  for  men  furnished  to  the  military  service  in  excess  of  calls
heretofore  made.  Volunteers  will  be  accepted  under  this  call  for  one,
two,  or  three  years,  as  they  may  elect,  and  will  be  entitled  to  the  bounty
provided  by  the  law  for  the  period  of  service  for  which  they  enlist.
