2-10-21 Be Careful What You Wish For

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SCENE, FIFTH AVENUE.

HE. "Ah! Dearest ADDIE! I've succeeded. I've got a Substitute!"
SHE. "Have you? What a curious coincidence! And I have found one FOR YOU!"​
The Enrollment Act of 1863 provided that a draftee could pay a “substitute"
enrollee the sum of $300 (about $5,000 in today's terms) in order to enlist in his place.
I think the cartoon means that the guy found a sub to fight for him, but the woman has found a new boyfriend.
 
As the Civil War intensified both North & South instituted policies that were unpopular but nevertheless Harper’s Weekly was ready to “poke fun” at the policy as seen below in their cartoon published in August of 62.

What is the policy portrayed in the cartoon?
View attachment 390520


credit: @DBF
August 30th, 1862 Edition pokes fun at the policy of draft substitution.
 
Now that I see it,

the substitution policy in the army

too late?

Edit - No, you weren't too late.

Threads can be closed as early as 7:30 AM, so it's a good idea to get your answers in before that time. But the actual time when the thread is closed can come later than 7:30. As long as the thread is still open at the time a player enters a post, the post will be accepted.

hoosier
 
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Answer
The caption tells the answer:

He: “Ah! Dearest Addie! I’ve succeeded. I’ve got a Substitute!”
She: “Have you? What a curious coincidence! And I have one for You!”

It was the policy of purchasing substitutes for those that could afford it but as my mother always told me - “Be Careful What You Wish For!”.
Source
https://www.loc.gov/item/2006691864/
 
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