New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-29


from some timorous gentleman who wishes US TO
furnish him with documents wherewith to refate
some absurd and Infamous slander on Col. Ere
mont, such as the story that in California he sold
cattle to the Government, took pay for them, and
failed to deliver them, or charged for lot that
never existed, and so on. As our failure TO answer
these letters may be miscOnstrued as implying
personal disrespect to the writer's, We beg leave t,
assure them generally that Col. Fremont is not on
trial for larceny, and that, if he were,
we should not volunteer to act as bis counsel. The
million patry, villainous libels set ahOat impugninx
his name and fame derive most of their Importance
from the attention paid them by the weak brethren
among bis friends. Were they but treated with
the scoIn and contempt they deserve, their authors
would soon become ashamed of them while the
more generous and pure-minded among the Ameri.
can people without distinction of party would re-
sent and repel these calumnies ss Outrsges on the
American character and the decenc.es of civilized
life.
Col. Fremont ia not man OF yesterday. For
some fifteen years past, be has lived in the public
eye. Without the advantage of West Point eda-
cation, he won bis way in early manhood to high
position in the Army. Entering California Just
before the breaking out of the Mexican War as
.ubalten commanding small party of explorers
and guides, he was appointed by Com Stockton,
who is now claimed to have been the cOnquerOr of
California, the Civil Governor of that e1tensise
snd important conquest When SO appointed, over
the heads of many able and experienced officers of
ohayr ha hut of hp
pOintment involved him soon aiterward in an un-
expected and most unwelcOme collision with Gen.
Kearney, in which the sympathies of the West
POiit oficers-that lie, of esry all the Army men
were naturally enlisted against him. His career
in California Was cOnsc cquently subjected to
hostile surveillance practically ubiquitous and
uDsltepiDg and everything that could be rsked
up to bis prejudice was brought before the
resulting Court Martial The record of
his trial is still in existence, and proves
incontestaby that but one fault cOald be justly
charged upon him-that of Obeying Com. Stock
ton when the Court decided that he shsuld havs
needed rather the conflicting orders of Gen. Kear-
ney, under circumstances which the COtrt itself
declared eminently calculated to perplex aud mis-
lead him. And, though the Court sentenced him
therefor to lose bis commission, the President
(POlk) Immediately restored it.
Fears after ward-in fact only last year-his long
evsded claim to be paid for cattle furnished, not -
his own command, but to other u s. officers in
California after he had ceased to WELD any suhor
ty there, brought to issue before Congress and
unanimously sanctioned. Both Houses, after a
careful scrutiny, decided that tho money was hon
estly his due, and should be paid, Here is the
senJia portion of the unanimous Report OF the
House Committee On Indian Affairs, consisting OF
Messrs. Orr Of S. c., Eastman of Wis, Grow of
Pa, Ball OF Ohio, Maxwell of Fla, Wright OF
Mise, Greenwood of Ark, Pring!e OF N. Y, and
Latham of Cal, Gall Democrats but Bail and
PriDele, and five of them now Buchanan meu.)
Colonel Fremont they say, purchased large
humber Of beef cattle in the south part Of the State,
and hr driven at heavy cost to drive them to the
designated place. The cattle were driven up Yard of
three Lundeo mics in the heat of summer, in tho dry
asOn al great labor and exposuie, and some 400 were
lost or died on the route. He delivered to agent Bar
bour, and took bis receipt therefor million two
hundred and twenty five thousand five hundred poands
of beef on the hOOf Il 225, 500 lbs and accepted in
PAYNE crafts by agent Barbour toe Secre,
tary Of the Interior. amounting to one hundred ana
eighty three thousand eight hundred aud twenty
Eve dollars (sls3,s25 These drafts were pro-
betn maCe by Congress fiom which they could DO !
paid subsequently the treaties were rejected bS the
Senate, for REASONS which have lot yet been made
pu olc aid the indians Of California have been driven
irem their lands and homes, and have received n" |
from the GOvernm ent save the beef far
nishtd them by Col. Fremont and which he nov asks |
the Cove ment to pay him for. The beef went into
the han6s of the agents of the Government: whether
il was ell faithfully distributed Among the Indians 6y
the suesgerts Is lot que stion that Is to aiitd the
ustiee and equity of the claim of Col Fremont. Ire
tun shed the agents of the Government with large
quantity of beet. Most, If not all OF H. was used IN
i,eci the Indians; was furnished to coinpy wth
tire ty ,tipulatioDs sfopped me r1r ana resOreu
s.oce 10 Ae country and will the Government now
thied itself from the payment OF this claim, aod de-
yoye iuinous loss upon one OF is own citizens upoe
the technical pretext that the sgent had no speciue
authority to mske the contract WKHAvE RECEIVED
TIE ADVANTAGES AND BENEFITS OF THE CONTRACT,
AND YOUR COMMITTEE BELIEVE THAT 1T Is JUST
THAT WE SHOULD PAY FOR IT.
Weller and Gwin, Senators from California,
united in saying that Col. Fremont was justly en-
,itled to the money. The Representatives OF Cali
forbia (McDougal and Latham) concurred in this
opinion Mr.. Breckenridge, the Buchaneer oandi-
date fer the Vice Presidency, concurred In the
opoion expressed 10 the report The House
UNANIMOUSLY passed bill indemntfying Col.
Fremont.
Hereupon both Houses voted and the President
sustained the payment of bis just due, years after
he hid been imprisoned ss debtor in LoLdon be-
cause he could bot pay those Of whom be bought
the cattle. Col Fremont was nOx private cisi-
zeD having no further dealings with the Govern
nent. OF course, any at all acquainted with the
mailer in which business Is done at the Treasury
Department mus. be aware that If he had
owed the Government one penny On any
sccOunt Whstever-if there had been even
h claim or preteDte of claim against him, no mat