Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-06-26

turned a simple citizen to private life. Thus
discharged from the service of the Govern
ment, ne undertook fourth exploring ex-
pedition of his own, with view to discover
passage across the Rocky Mountains
southerly of the South Pass, near the head
of the Arkansas, which might serve the pur-
pose of railroad communication with Cali
fornia. He started from Pueblo, on the
Upper Arkansas, with thirty-three men and
hundred and thirty-three mules; but, mis-
led by his guides, all his mules and a third
of his men perished in the SHOWS and cold
of the Sierra San Juan, and he himself ar
rived on foot at Santa Fe with the loss of
everything but his life. Not, however. to
be baffied. he reftted the expedition, and in
hundred days, after fresh dangers, reached
the banks of the Sacramento.
In the rising State of California in which
he had become one of the earliest Ameri-
can propretors by the purchase during his
former visit of the since famous Mariposa
grant, Mr.. Fremont took great interest,"
He was active in the formation o! the State
constitution, and in securing in that docu
ment positive exclusion of Slavery, and
was chosen one of the first Senators to re-
present the new State in Congress. A
short term of two years fell to his lot, and
owing 10 the delay in the admission of the
State, he sat in the Senate only one short
session. On the expiration of mis- term the
political control of the State had passed in
to new hands, of which a striking proof was
given in the choice of John B. Weller, a
decided Pro-Slavery man, as his successor
in the Senate.
Mr. Fremont now devoted himself to de-
velopng the resources of his California
estate, which had been discovered to be
rich in gold; but, in addition 10 the loss OF
his commission, as the only reward he had
realized for his services in California, be
now found himself + greatly annoyed by claims
against him for supplies which, during his
campaign in California, had been furnished
to the United States on his private credit.
During a visit to London he was arrested
on one of these claims, and it was only
after great delay that the Government of
the United States was finally induced to
relieve him from further annoyance by the
payment of these debts. In maintaining
his right to the Mariposa property, he was
also obliged to encounter many annoyances
on the part of the Government which re-
sisted his claim. but finally, by repeated de-
cisionS of the Supreme Court of the United
States, he triumphed over all of them.
Having exhibited singular force of
C haracter and distinguished ability in every
undertaking to which he has applied himself
he has now been called by the loud voice of
his fellow citizens in almost all parts OF the
Union to place himself at the head o! new
more difficult, but at the same time most
glorious enterprise-that of rescuing the
Government and the Union from the hands
of body of unprinciped politicians, who
threaten to subject the country to the double
misery of despotsm aud Of anarchy. May
he be as successful in this as in everything
else that he has undertaken! And that he
will be, who can doubt! for surely every
honest man in the country will hasten to
aid him with his voice and his vote.