Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-06-29
lHilitiu Without Arms.
, The Editors ot' the Enquirer:

since our gallant ex-Govcrnor. in view OF I'm.
nlinenr public peril rs indicated by the most
tlasrant and bloody outrage against State au.
! thoritv and ird!ridua! right ever committed
within the limits Of Nirgina-an outrage that
! thrilled the great nation like fire bell in the
night" summoned the citizens to prepare fo1
defence With what ZEAL with what prompt
: ness with what unanimity the summons was
answered, tho record of the day will tell II
must have compensated Governor Wise for the
SCOTS and snccrS of the knavcs and fools. the
! ignorant and traitorous, who, in the quiet sccu-
! rity of their comfortable homes found no better
amusement than reving those who had aban.
| doHcd thrir homes tp guarantee that security
10 have witnessed the noble aacrity OF this re-
sponse to have heard in every city and village
and hamlet Of the State the note Of earnest
| prcparaton above all to have learned that
within thirty days after the execution of Brown,
/ fifteen thousand recruits were added to the
volunteer lorce-a new conscription for EirSi.
! nia.
! In grateful and becoming acknowledgment
OF this patriotic zeal, the Governor earnestly
recommended the new recruits to the kind off,
ces Of the General Assembly, and urged their
prompt arminS with the best weapons and
public meeting in every quarter OF the State
uHoRimonsly ratified his recommendation. In
obedience to this recommendation and this uni
versal endorsement, a liberal appropriation was
almost unanimously voted for the procurement
Of arms, and sum Of $lSQ,000 specially set
apar: for immediate purchases, a commission
being appointed to apply the funds. Whst
has it done: With duties plainly marked,
and abundant facilities for their discharge, the
committee ordered IL 6uy csyms made the tour
OF tho North, sagcly inspected all the armorieS,
wrote letters 10 Europe, and finally bought
a cargo Of powder mot m,Iskct, not rifle,
not u pistol!
Was it because there was no need to pur-
chase them? They were not the judges OF
that question. Their masters had decided there
lces need, and ordered them 10 supply it. Was
it because they had scruples about using the
appropriation: Then why did they buy pow
der? Was 1t because there were no arms for
! sale: Then where do the 200 900 Northern
| volunteers get arms: What arc the arm fac.
| tories of New York, Connecticut and Massa.
chusetts engaged about: Where did the sympa-
thiZcrs with Garibaldi get the arms that were
, shipped from New York last week? Where did
John Brown get arms? Where do Emigrant Aid
| Societ;rs get arms whenever it is necessary to
assail the South Lastly, did this commission
for any cause wiliully disregard their instruc-
tions: Then they acted dishonorably in nc.
cepting the charge, and dishonesty in affecting
! to fulfil it.
1t has been suggested that there is 4 1clibc.
rate purpose in high quarters to discourage
| this whole movement to break UP the military
organization, to disband the new forces-a
result Ssre TO he STAINED by this neglect II
| this is so, the public servants have shanelully
disrcgaracd the public will, and have shame
! tnily chsa'"i the volunteers. In view Of n
! great public necessity, everywhere conceded,
fifteen thousand Of the choicest material in the
! Statc-l state n notorious fact, and mean no
di>paragclnent Of their brother soldiers OF older
! tlate-enroed themselves as volunteers, uni
! formed themselves, procured lrill.roonis, gave
up days and mig hts to perlGcling themselves in
soidiery duties, and expended in various ways,
/ an average Of certainly not less than $50 per
! hcad--aa aggregate Of $4,000 In two short
/ months they voluntarily, checrlully, without 4
murmur-nay, with proud alacrity, taxed them
selves, for the States benefit. three quarters of
l. million Of dollars. To complete their equip
nent, they respectfully asked of the 100000
brother axp payers an appropriation Of less than
lr.r fourth Oi hi, sim, out Of the common
contributions: al AL and the servants Of these
iax- i.a. ci> are su!cnin!y charged to grant the
request. Animated with the same impulse,
they promptly obey the instruction, and the
volunteers confidently expect, as they had a
right to expect, u liberal and immediate COM
plIance with the peoples wish and yet pet
ty corporarS guard Of commission presu,nes
tn thwalt tie wishes, the commands Of the
State
If il b. true that this neglect and postpone
rncni nave been determined OH by high powers,
10 insure the disUrganization of the new force,
il is disgrace to all concerned in the trick
1t argues disregard Of official duty and an
obvious contempt Of official responsibility,
:rhch are more dangerous 10 popular rig hts
! than any external enemy, however powerful.
Ii is, above all, contemplate fraud upon the
rights Of tue volunteers, who have been induced
| to assume heavy expenditure in the confident
expectation Of justice if not liberalIry, at the
hands Of the State
If the folly and fraud are 10 bc consummated
! let us hope that the authorities will act con-
siStentlv Let them advertise the powder ad-
venture for sale; let them cancel the engage
! mcnt inst entered into, to build magazine for
the safe keeping of the precious speculation !;
let them abolish that weapon-hospital of in
curabIeS," the State armory, where thousands
upon thousands OF utterly useless arms, like
the caliy.s forts of the Chinese, present the
shadow Of defence without its substance; let
them get rid Of the annual cost Of keeping these
useless toys in order; and, above all, when
that not impossible contingency arrives, the
day Of battle between the North and South, let
~ ~ - =. g., ,ot
ours that the best trained, best armed and best
equipped volunteer force in the world must be
met by IN undiScipncd, unarmcd mob, whose
only munitions of war will be some barrels Of
damaged powder.
! \ PETERSBURG VOLUNTEER.
<G&-H<
! L.