Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-03-18
0Ortrster 4aiIp SPY.
THE DAILY SPY.
The Best Guns for Soldiers,

The following is an abstract of speech
delivered in the house by Jason Waters, ESQ.,,
of Sutton, on that part of the militia bill
which provides for arming the state militia.
Through the influence of Mr. Waters the bill
was SO modified as to allow the governor to
arm the militia with breech leaders, or any
other guns that may prove to be the very best.
Mr. Waters said =
Mr.. Speaker: Upon ordinary occasions,
should not presume to test the patience of the
mouse by discussing question upon which it
has SO recently acted, although that action
should be adverse to my own conceptions of
right. But when II measure of the magnitude
and Importance of that which now claims our
attention-a measure fraught with the deepest
interest to the brave soldiers of this common
wealth, and the noble cause they are called to
detend-a measure in which are involved the
lives OF our fellow citizens and the welfare of
the country, deem it to be my duty to dis
cuss as tuliy and thoroughly as my humble
ABILITY may permit; especially as have facts
to present III the case, for the consideration
OF gentlemen, which have not, think, been
brought to their notice, which deem essen
tial to just and impartial consideration of
the subject.
feel compelled to disclaim against the i'm
putaton OF self-intereSt in the outset as L am
not interested directly or indirectly in the
manufacture or sale OF arms of any descrip-
ton. And what l have to say upon this sub
Ject, say for the interest, and in the behalf
OF the patriotic soldiers of Massachusetts,,
As the amendment proposed for our con-
currence to-day, is similar in its essential
features to the one l had the honor to present
for the consideration of the house few DAYS
since, propose to notice briefly some of the
arguments that were then brought forward
against the amendment to quote the opinions
OF authors, officers, and men ofexperience and
nhally to show you as nearly as it is possible
TO DO, the comparative merits of the arms now
used, and about to be introduced into the SER
vice of the armies of the United States and
Europe.
The original bill confines the purchase of
arms by the state government to particular
kind, viz: the Springfield nusket of the latest
pattern. Mark well, that it does not say the
Springfield rifle, or rihed musket, but simply
the Springfield musket. 1t gives no guaran-
tee against the purchase of smooth-bore mus
kets 1t virtually ties the hands of the gov
erhor ana council by combining them to the
purchase OF this particular arm under any
and every emergency that may arise The
trusted with the expenditure of large sums of
money at their discretion, and so far as
know, have executed those trusts wisely and
to the satisfaction Of the people of the COM
mouwealth.
The legislature of last year appropriated
large sum OF money for coast defences, and
lett II to his eXcellency to carry out the de-
tails Of the enterprise. The discovery that
lron-c!ad ships were or might be impregnable
to the batteries of fort, caused an entire
change of the whole plan for coast defences.
Is 1t too much to expect that in this age of
Improvement, discoveries of new principles in
the construction of firearms would, within the
year ensuing, develope an arm superior to any
now in use in the army? l think not; and
hence consider it the part of wisdom to con-
cur IN the senate's amendment, and leave. the
selection OF the arm to the governor and
council, especially as l believe, and hope to
be able to demonstrate to the house, that we
have already several kinds of breech-loading
rifles that are superior in every respect to the
arm prescribed in the original bill.
1t has been stated that the governor and
council desire to be excused from the trouble
ana responsibility of selecting the arm to be
purchased. L have the best authority for be-
Ieving that they have no desire to shrink
from any responsibility that comes within the
splere of official duty.
Fears are entertained by the gentleman
from Lowell (Mr. Wentworth that unless we
contine the purchase to the particular arm in
the bill as reported by the committee, the
treasury of the commonwealth may suffer
from contractors. We can not guard too
strongly against contractors, for through them
does the country suffer indeed, to-day.
But the gentleman's fears seem to be all in
ha &
tractors looming up in the direction of breech-
loading rifles, but none whatever in the direc-
ton OF Springfield muskets. Sir, it is well
known that certain manufacturers of the
Springfield musket for the United States gov
eminent have on hand large quantity of that
arm that have been rejected by the govern
ment inspectors, and they earnestly desire to
sell these arms to somebody. Now, if we
conhne his excellency to this specific arm, the
result will be that we shall have the condemn
ed arms forced upon the state government.
for these manufacturers, being engaged in
contracts for the United States, can not man
utacture for the state; and the emergency is
already upon us, that demands arms immedi-
ately. There could be no alternative but to
take these condemned arms at contractors
prices.
1t was stated by the honorable and patriotic
little difference what weapon was placedin the
hands ota man, if the man was only brave. l
DINER with him entirely in this respect. Next
In Importance to the man, is the weapon he is
to use superior weapon gives confidence
and courage to the soldier. Place an inferior
or worthless weapon in the hands of a brave
man, ana 1t tends to make him a coward
Brute force, merely, must ever succumb and
be subservient to intelligence. Hence the
easy domination ofthe white man over the In.
dian; not because the Indian was not brave.
but because he had not the intelligence to
construct and use superior weapons of war
fare. Yet you place in the hands of an intel
lgent, brave man, that has a practical knovI.
edge of the use OF superior weapons, a bow
and arrow, and the Indian " ill overcome him.
At this point Mr.. Waters stepped to the
area in front Of the speakers desk and invited
the gentlemen who were in favor of the muz-
zle loading arm to come forward and 60
through the manual of loading and firing,
while he should do the same with the breach
loading rifle, that the house might witness the
comparative merits of the two arms. None
volunteering, he called upon Mr.. Smith of
Boston as an expert in the use of muzzle-
loading arms, who came forward, and the two
went through the manual and the result was
six to one i'll favor of the reach-loader.
Mr.. Waters exhibited to the house variety
of arms among which was captured secesh
breech-loading rifle, that evidently was man.
uiactured in the southern states also an Aus.
trian musket, which he said was but misera-
- I.