Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-10-04

1t has been said that Fremont was no states
man, having served but tgenty one DAYS in the
United States Senate. Passing by, however,
his services in the Constitutional Convention
OF California, which were quite important in
deciding the future character of that State for
freedom, let us see what Fremont did while
senator. twill be remembered that he drew
the short term by lot, in 1850, while William
M. twin drew the long term. Fremont was
therefore cut short in his senatorial career
In the twenty-one days, however, in which
he was senator, he introduced no less than
nineteen different bills, having for their object
the benefit of California and the nation eener.
ally. The object of several of these bills was
to record the land titles in California, to pro-
vide for the survey Of public lands there, the
erection of land offices, the settlement of pri-
Vate land claims, for the donation of lands to
settlers prior to the cessioh of the State to tho
United States. and r,-n 49, I.Ss CO SUD-
Se9~oiit settlers, so regulate the working of
the mines in California, and therein opposiaq
taratto" and IN behalf OF free labor, to grant
the state public lands for purposes of educa.
ton, to grant six townships for university,
10 alo IN constructing public buildings, to grant
land to asylums for the deaf and dumb. the
pllnd and insane, for opening wagon road
across the continent, to grant lands for inter
nal improvements, and to preserve peace
among the Indian tribes by extinguishing their
titles to the gold districts.
Now here we see the taoenty -oae DAYS sena-
tor as busy as man can well be in serving is
own state and the nation, by advocating bills
OF pubic utility and what is really remark
aole IS, that eighteen Of these bills were intro
duced within t1oo days after taking his seat
Ii Fremont served California as senator SO
well, in so brief time, will he be likely to
serve the people ofthe United States less gen.
erously and faithfully, if elected President p
Think of this.
10 show how DISTINGUISHED man Fremont
is, we have only to turn to the Senate Jour
I nal OF Jan. Sd, 1851. 1t seems that, when he
introduced his bill to settle private land claims
III California, he was accused Of having an in
| terested motlve--his own clam of Mariposa
beng an extensive one In order to show
how little he was actuated by private and per-
| sonaal motives, he authorized Senator Benton
| to announce in the Senate, which he did, that
| he Fremont "wished to make an exception
| to the BILL which should take his own case
(Marlposas) out of the general provisions of the
| bill, and subject it to run the gauntlet of all
the courts from the lowest to the highest, and
| from the shores OF the Pacific ocean to the At
lantlc, and against all the counsel which the
substitute bill authorizes to be employed; but
| he was not wiling that other claimants should
be so subjected, or that his exertions in their
behalf should be weakened by the supposition
| of an interested motive"
! Such is Fremont and when it is known,
| as 1t should be, that this Mariposa property is
estimated, according to the Mariposa Demo
crat, paper unfrendly to Fremont as worth
| $lO, 900, we can estimate somewhat the
unselhshness Of this truly noble man. Itwas
not question of money with him, but prin-
| ciple and public benefit. 1t realizes and more
than realizes the grandeur, the virtue the pa
triotism, OF the great heroes Of antiquity, and
those other great heroes Of our own Revolu-
ton.
The Marlposa Democrat thinks it more than
probable that the kno Wedge OF the immense
wealth OF Fremont's Mariposa claim induced
| the aoolitionists to nominate him for Presi-
| dent. This paper, however is at fault. The
| Republicans nominated Fremont because he
was noble and manly representative OF the
! cause OF freedom, whose title had been won
| by those exertions and sacrifices whose truth
is stranger than fiction. They took him, not
because lie was rich in money, but rich in vir-
tue. AS God is greater than gold, and man is
greater than money they took the virtue which
| represents God in man, and the man, Free
| mont, who is Of more value than a thousand
| Marposas grants Whether Fremont is
wealthy or not, is of little consequence for
the man stands far above gold and is endear.
| &c to the American people by the grandeur of
his virtues, the extent of his services and the
heroic simplicity of his acts and his life.