New-York daily tribune., 1856-09-26
col. JOHN c. FREMONT-SKETCH Of
HIS LIFE.

s1a", Issf,sdSs,s Ieo A'0 paper
There is a history of Fremont of very deep interest
TO every brave and honest American 10 be related IN
tic plain Sentences of TRUTH which the present is pro-
pitious time 10 tell. How active merit Of the highest
order becOn's by IFS intrinsic reflection from sound
popular instincts to be dreaded by tyrafs and hunted
dow till crushed and e1ermir ated by auch, is well
known since in Jerusalem the a'sombled chief
lrie a. elders acribcs, pharisccs puhcans and hypO
crit,s shouted against the Rcdcemer OF the world:
Cruelty Ii m Cruelty him !"
II is thus: In the Presidency of Van Buren, Mr..
Poinsc OF North Carolina being Secretary War, tho
Typographical survey Of The interior OF the continent
was commenced, and the examination Of the whole
country of the Mississippi and between II and The
Miss onr as mnitted to Mons. Ncolct, scientific
Ffenchmap resident among us and very learned ia
Typographical knowledge.
IL Tie wish Of the Secretary To place undor conI-
mapd of Mons NicOet or more of the young grad
uates of West Point 10 have the benefit Of his insruc
tons and n future day, the retirement or death
Of Mons. Nicolet 10 fill his place and carry forward
the work. This beiTg proposed TO such, they sneer-
ingy and unanimously refused, cODtemptuously set
ting forth service in ihe outer wilderness under
citizen to be beneath the dignity and privilege oi
West Point pet. Under this rebnff the Democratic
Secretary turned his 70 civil life, distinguished q
you,h at once full Of talent and modest the son of
deceased friend and employed in contributing 10 the
support of his widowed mother sometime by teach
Ing school and sometimes assisting the engineers
uron the survey of the Charleston and Cincinnati rail-
road. This youth. s'udious, ful! of the fire which
condcns,s when opposed to difficulties and power
ty It ceived fIsm the President the appointment of
6ry.t second lieutenant of typographical engineers
md in 1888 ioincd Mons. Nicol,t aud procc, dcd TO
the exploration of Northern Missouri md Iowa.
Thus commenced, some eighteen years ago, the pub
lie service of John Cha-l Fremont. Accompanying
Mons Nicolet three years were devoted to the com
pete reduction TO astronomical profile of tho whole
country embraced between the rivers Missouri and
Mississippi from their junction to the British boundary
line.
This celebrated map and report, the joint production
of Nicolot and Fremont under his guidance and pre-
eminent accuracy coming freely into the hands OF
the people knded everywhere an appeite for 40 de-
hcous country previously unknown or esteemed to
be desert The simplicity, the accuracy and wonder
ful completeness of the work, M sealed the ei
fictncy, skill and reliability Of the constructor in the
public confidence.
About this time Mons. Ncoct died, leaving TO be
accomplished after the manner surveys onward
10 the western ocean, the great prairie plains. the r
mary mountains, and the table lands and coasts OF
Oregon.
10 Fremont. a. biz assistant and successor,
properly assigned this work in the great wilderness
lie had in the anime married Jessie, the daughter
OF Senator Benton, who appreciatnS the abllte, ot
the and the national importance of the work. tim
nlated his ardor and fortified him with his experience
and counsel.
In 1912 Fremont ascended the Great Platte e1porc,
The South Pass, and reached the summit and measured
the altitude OF the snowy crest, beyond which the VA
crs flow TO the Pacific He now produced his first map
and report These, remarkable for brc'lty of Ian
guagc, YET copious in matter, and true III the denoa
kDdled that appetite for adventure in the vast and
sublime portions Oi continent which, during the
twelve years since following Las reset the affairs of
the American people ON new and grand order of pro-
gree ana has chained the admiration of the world.
The expedition OF lS . aud lSii made 10y Fremont
through the continent, and marked by lie opening of
wagonrosd TO the Pacific the exploration Of the Salt
Lake BASIN, the pa ltrny of American settlements and
government upon the Willamette, and the Winter
passage OF the Cordilleras into California, has been
studied by every American, young and old, and by
millions in loreign lands
These expeditions, unparalleled for the immensc re-
glon eNplored' tho novelty and grandeur OF the
tines revealed the intense and desperate character of
the dsngcls encountered aud surrnounted served 10
I'm completely the vail Of mystery as vet enyeloping
two thirds of our continent and 10 tuen thther the
electrhed attention of mankind as with the rush of
an ocean of waters long pent up.
To fill up tie details in the profile OF such immense
countries. rapidly traverscd Fremont again denn-ted
in the Spring Of lst5 crossing the continent by line
intermediate between his former explanations r,vea
ing 10 us the oonfgunon and characteristics of th
Great Mountain Basin, the direction altitude and no.
culisr position OF the swy Andes and the delicious
character OF maritime California.
While engaged among the peaks Of the suowy chains
that surround the of the Sacramento River the
alarm of war rca he'd his He hastenod 70 th. field
OF conflict rallied around him the poncrs the Amor.
cans dispersed over inhabited California, who under
his command completed the conquest Of the country
and reduced H. in few months, % passive submission
20 national flag.
Such during ten wear OF intense activity alternately
lost II were in the immeasurable wastes OF plains
larger than the ocean. smopg mountains 20 vas IN
buk and number tha. generations viii not con. them
IN abyrinths of glaciers overhead and bsrled rye's
srarce visible benff'h in days and nights Of cold and
beat and storms perpetuay desperate With dean snd
pFsshna viii :hirst stNyalon the sotus ssvase ~