2

Arm White Men.

Says the Chicago Times:
The N. Y. Tribune complains that millions of loyal negroes are left unarmed who are panting to fight for the government. We will not discuss the loyalty of the negroes, but mention for the benefit of the Tribune, that there are now, and have been for months, at Camp Douglas, near Chicago, more than three thousand white soldiers who have not now, nor ever have had, muskets enough for two companies. Shall we prepare plans for arming negroes when no plan has yet been matured for arming thousands on thousands of the six hundred and sixty-six thousand whites who are now in the army? We have no objection to the Fremont Belgian guns being turned over to the slaves and getting into the hands of the rebels. Perhaps no better means could be desired to equip the confederate forces with worthless weapons and give our own men effective ones; but we must insist that the arming of negroes shall not even be talked of until we can do better by our white troops than we have yet done.