The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-05-23
Two GREAT MIsTAKEs.-Two unfortunate


errors have occurred in connection with fur
nishing the citizens of this City and County
with arms. One is the poor quality of guns
purchased, and the other and worse one, is
the manner in which they were distributed.
As to the first error we blame no one in par
ticular. 1t is evident there was too much
haste to get guns, and, as a natural conse-
quence, those of an inferior grade hoated
into our possession. The quality of the
guns-in the opinion of all who have ex-
amined them-is entirely disproportion-
ate to what they cost. In saying this, we
wish to cast no reflections on the gentleman
who made the purchase. We are aware he
went into the market when the whole country
was in an uproar, and every neighborhood
had agents seeking to buy guns. 1t could
not be expected that he could attain very
great bargains under such circumstances
The result of his labors is rather our mis-
fortune than his fault. But notwithstand-
ing all this, we greatly regret that he did mt
succeed in getting something little nearer
the worth of the money expended.
But the error that has been made in dis
tributing these arms might have been pre-
vented The county commissioners and
city appropriated the money for the de-
Tense of the city and county. After the arms
were purchased they were called on to ex-
ercise their discretion in distributing them
so as to place the county in the best posi-
BILE position to resist an attack IRstead of
manfully meeting this responsibility and
distributing the arms to the companies
who were best prepared to use them
efectually, they resorted to a lottery
arrangement, in order to avoid the neces-
sity of giving offense to any one. The
consequences attending such a method
of distribution, could have been readily
forseen. The best companies-those who
have purchased their uniforms and labored
to perfect themselves in drill-are without
guns, while other inchoate organizations
If organizations they might be called
are fully supplied. Company a, of the Van
derburgh 6rays, which is by all odds the
best organized and drilled company in
the County, are left to disband or parade
with broomstieks, while a lot of men in
German township, who are no company
in the true sense of the term, are supplied
with the best guns. This is manifestly i'm
proper, and might have been prevented had
the commissioners exercised a little more
frmness in the matter.
We are glad to be able to state that, al
though the Grays feel their disappointment
keenly, they intend to preserve their organ
izatioD and make other efforts to procure
arms. We trust their patriotism will not
go unrewarded, and that they may receive
better arms than if they had received their
complement from the present lot The
Zouave Cadets, too, intend preserving their
organization and making a vigorous effort
to procure guns from other sources. They
have adopted very pretty uniform and will
present splendid appearance, should they
succeed in obtaining arms.
We understand that some of our most
prominent citizens, feeling that mistake
has been committed, are willing to make do
nations for the benefit of the companies who
failed to get any arms at ALL This is COM
mendable, and we hope will be carried out
promptly and literally.