The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-24
WAsnINGroH, Nov. ~. le47.

WAshiNGToH NOV. ~, lo47.
Important State Of .afairs-7he Fremont Court Mar
tiai-7ne Military Committee of the Senate
The Court met to-day at the Arsenal in pursuance Of
adjournment Saturday last Present all the MEMBER
except Col Craig still unable to attend from indsposi
ton.
Application made by the court to the War De-
partmsnt for the discretion Of holding the ings Of ths
court at eligible place in town. the Arsenal being
two very long miles from the Avenue Our
host, Coleman, had already designated two excellent
rooms for the court; and Of the press gang
had made large calculations upon the oonvsniencss o
the expected transfer but the War Department dsmurr
ed to the application, that the buses and hacks
will continue in requisition, as heretofore
Upon receiving the demurrer Of the War Once, and
with the view Of allowing more days grace to Col
Craig who gratined to learn Is getting better
the court adjourned to ten O'Clock on Wednes
day, to meet again at the Arsenal.
We come to the cream OF the matter. The
charges and specifications themselves would indicate
clear Of guilt the part Of the accused and the
trial pursued simply upon the programme Of the ndiet
ment would be short and conclusive. But the defence
have instituted two collateral issues, upon which the
trial appears to be sxclusivy conducted These cola
teral points
lst The question Of jurisdiction between Com. Stock
ton and Gen. Kesrny In California.
I'd The motives of the prosecutor In instuting the
prosecution of Fremont. To which may add smother
point growing out Of the last named, to wit
3D. The real authorship Of the charges and spscinea
tions upon which Fremont is under trial.
The defence have pushed the rst question Of jurs-
diction with a most nquisitorial pertnaoty; and II
they establish that Com. stockton was sufficiently
recognized as the supreme authority by Gen. Kssrpy,
to justify doubt in the mind Of Lieut. Col Fremont
then his conduct obeyng the orders Of CON- Stock
tom In disregard Of the orders Of Gen. Kesrny cannot
b impeached the principles Of common sense, what
ever may be the acquisitions Of martial law These
qustions we should ray could not touch him. because
the military like the civil law has ts basis In the prn
ciples of common sense.
The motives of the prosecutor are . matter with
which we have nothing to do The defence are, doubt
less from every precedent Of every capital trial, fully
justified in raising this question Of impeachment and
in conducting the examination with view to sus-
tain It; but it only be sustained by what Yankee
would term the hef Of the testimony, and the jusg
ment Of the court. -
The third the authorship Of the charges
that he arragned Lieut. Colonel Fremont upon sim
gle charge, which I've supposed wa. dsobedisncs OF or
trial viz: mutiny disobedence, and
not his General KeArny') charges An appaons.on
has failed Of eictng categorical to the au
tborship of the indictment IL stands saving that II
made out from the furnished by Cen Kssrny
Tbs inference however clear that the charges and
,pecacations upon the record from the war once
"And thereby hangs tale"
Now suspect that Colonel benton apprehsnds that
the Secretary OF War Is against him. and against his
son-inaw. Appearances may very we'll lead TO such
an apprehension The conclusion hsn follows that Sec
rotary Marcy il the author OF the mutiny charged
against Lieut. Colonel Fremont In the rsmodelinR the
accusations of Gen. Kearny.
OF the suspicion the part Of Col Benton against
the War Department, satisfied and In connsc-
ton with this identical circumstance We are apprenen
sivs that Col Benton will not be the chairman on Mill
tary Affairs In the Senate, the coming session, pest
which he has filed so honorably industrously,
usefully, so ably and so long The War Department
best the value Of the services Of Col Benton ~
the head Of the Military Committee but by what agency
he IL TO be superseded 10 that COMMITTEES, We do not
know We refer the matter TO the reorganisston
Of the Senate committees however as the only proof At
our command that Col Benton in that reorganization
will cease TO be at tho head Of the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs.
What An important and nome ntous chain Of circum-
stances plots compots and countsrplots looking TO the
succession may be supposed to hang upon this single
isolated contingency The change In . committee 10
every day occurrence; but here have COMMITTEES
man who has conducted the the part Of the sd-
mnistraton through the Senate with signal ability ana
success and with zeal and industry that never
exhausted Yet We see this very man the friend Of Mr..
Van Buren, and MIR. Wright aud the advocate Of their
oAsims on the very Of being set sside most I'm
portant crisis OF the war.
We shall sights before the nrst week In Congress
Ii over. W.
r. s. Cas- will perhaps be the successor ;of Benton on
the military committee, In which event may expect
the war to be carried down Into South America, "a
matter Of choice.
fI.Vl Ina