“The Democratic organization look upon this administration as hostile to their rights and liberties; they look upon their opponents as men who would do them wrong in regard to their most sacred franchises.”

Believing—­perhaps honestly—­the conscription law to be unconstitutional, he endeavored, by protest, argument and administrative non-compliance, to impede its execution on the plea of first demanding a Supreme Court decision as to its legality.  To this President Lincoln replied: 

“I cannot consent to suspend the draft in New York, as you request, because, among other reasons, time is too important....  I do not object to abide a decision of the United States Supreme Court, or of the judges thereof, on the constitutionality of the draft law.  In fact, I should be willing to facilitate the obtaining of it; but I cannot consent to lose the time while it is being obtained.  We are contending with an enemy who, as I understand, drives every able-bodied man he can reach into his ranks, very much as a butcher drives bullocks into a slaughter-pen.  No time is wasted, no argument is used.  This produces an army which will soon turn upon our now victorious soldiers already in the field, if they shall not be sustained by recruits as they should be.”

Notwithstanding Governor Seymour’s neglect to give the enrolling officers any cooeperation, preparations for the draft went on in New York city without prospect of serious disturbance, except the incendiary language of low newspapers and handbills.  But scarcely had the wheel begun to turn, and the drawing commenced on July 13, when a sudden riot broke out.  First demolishing the enrolling-office, the crowd next attacked an adjoining block of stores, which they plundered and set on fire, refusing to let the firemen put out the flames.  From this point the excitement and disorder spread over the city, which for three days was at many points subjected to the uncontrolled fury of the mob.  Loud threats to destroy the New York “Tribune” office, which the inmates as vigorously prepared to defend, were made.  The most savage brutality was wreaked upon colored people.  The fine building of the colored Orphan Asylum, where several hundred children barely found means of escape, was plundered and set on fire.  It was notable that foreigners of recent importation were the principal leaders and actors in this lawlessness in which two million dollars worth of property was destroyed, and several hundred persons lost their lives.

The disturbance came to an end on the night of the fourth day, when a small detachment of soldiers met a body of rioters, and firing into them, killed thirteen, and wounded eighteen more.  Governor Seymour gave but little help in the disorder, and left a stain on the record of his courage by addressing a portion of the mob as “my friends.”  The opportune arrival of national troops restored, and thereafter maintained, quiet and safety.

Some temporary disturbance occurred in Boston, but was promptly put down, and loud appeals came from Philadelphia and Chicago to stop the draft.  The final effect of the conscription law was not so much to obtain recruits for the service, as to stimulate local effort throughout the country to promote volunteering, whereby the number drafted was either greatly lessened or, in many localities, entirely avoided by filling the State quotas.