The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-06-28
Furnishing Private Arms For our Troops.

The suggestions contained in the address which
we publish to-day from Hon. WILEY P. HARRIS are
timely and important The blockade Of our ports
rendersit very difficult to procure arms from abroad
and while abundance Of men are offered to the Gov
ernment it is embarrassed already Tor the want Of
arms to put into their hands, Until we can make
our own AIMS, this Will continue to be very serious
inconvenience, and may possibly be attended with
disastrous results If Lincoln carries out his threat
enei programme of putting half million Of men in
the field. we see no chance Of President Davis being
able to provide suhiciency of regular arms at once
to equip force to meet them. But there are hun
dr5ds of thousands of available weapons in private
hands throughout the Southern States, which would
be more affective in the hands Of our men, aecus-
toned TO their use from infancy, than the most inn
proved arm in the hands of the Northern ritf-Tait a
majority of whom never fred a gun in their lives,
until mustered into Llncom's service. As Judge
Harris says the common gun with which our people
kill deer and turkeys will kill men also. And in an
emergency like the present when all is at stake, it
will not do to be nice in the choice Of weapons We
would be perfectly willing TO risk the issues involved
of this war upon fight between argument Of Mis-
sissippans armed with double barrel sho, guns and
common hunting rifles, provided with bail and buck
shot cartridges, and good strong bayonets, and an
equal number Of Yankees armed with the best pa
tent rifles or muskets in use, 1he latter would have
the advantage at long range, but as Gov Wise says
let our men shorten the distance and come to close
quarters There will not be an instance to record a
ter this war Is over, whore opposing forces anything
like equal in number came to close work. breast to
breast and toe to toe withoutthe Yankees taking to
their heels.
We copy and adopt portion of the MiSsissippian,
comments on Judge Harris communication:
eve heartily endorse the plan proposed by Judge
Harris In addition we would call attention to the
fact ailscattered ell over the State are public arms
which are not in use and they ought to be returned
to the arsenal that they may be placed in the hand.
Of volunteers Il is well known that the Govern
ment will receive no more troops exception thowar
and that upon this condition any number will be no.
ceped. Now it is the duty Of those who have re
oeved gdns upon anticipation Of shorter service
but who will not enlist "ior the war to deliver them
at once to the proper authorities.
although Mississippi has furnished more than
her quota of troops there are thousands set who are
eager to enlist. Twelve months" companies thai
have drawn arms, bat cannot get into the service, will
do the common cause great injustice if they hesitate
amoment to act upon this suggestion. Il does not
follow Of necessity that they should disband Let
them preserve their organizatouand abide future
events. The prospecnow is that before this war is
closed the State will need the services Of an her
sons"