Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-09-25
Interesting DOcumentS-.Buc
anan ON Fremont.

Interesting DOcuments--Buc
anan ON Fremont.
The New-York York Tribune of Satur-
day gives a document received per last
steamer from England, which is interesting
at the present time. Our readers viii re-
member that Col. Fremont was arrested in
London on account of debts to the amount
of S19, 500, contracted in California The
defense was that these debts were contract
ed on account of the United States Govern,
ment. Commissioners were appointed te
take the evidence of James Buchanan, up.
pom whom as Secretary of State, the bill:
were drawn, from whose testimony, unde,
oath, We give extracts, not having room fol
the whole:
"Question-Do you know who was the
person in actual command of the land for.
ces of the Government of the United States
in California, in the year one thousand
eight hundred and forty-seven, and III the
month of March in that year?"
"Answer-Col. Fremont, the defendant,
was in California al the commencement OF
hostilities between the United States and
the Republic of Mexico; he there raised
and commanded battalion of California
volunteers, consisting of about four hun
dred men; his services were very valuable
he bore conspicuous part in the conquest
of California, and IN my opinion IS better
entitled to be called the "Conqueror o,
California than any other man.; he con.
tinued in the actual command of this bat
talon throughout the month of March
1s47, but there were other troops in Cali
fornia-other troops of the United States
under the command of Gen. Kearney,
who was afterward the Military Command
ant and Governor of California, as | have
already stated in my answer to the eighth
interrogatory; cannot undertake to decide
the dispute to which | have already refer
red between Colonel Fremont and General
Kearney, but as long as the California bat
talon existedthey were under the separate
and Independent command of Colonel Ere
mont, while General Kearney commanded
the other troops of the United Ttates."
"Q.-Do you know whether any, and,
if any, what forage or other necessaries
were supplied to or for the said forces of
the United States so engaged in hostilities
with the said Republic of Mexico? And,
particularly, do you know whether any
such supplies were necessary for the forces
under the command of the defendant!"
"A.-I know not whether any, and, if
any, what forage or other necessaries were
supplied to or for the said forces of the
United States, so engaged in hostilities
with the Republic of Mexico, but l do
know that such supplies were necessary for
the forces under the command of the de-
fendant, and that no appropriation had
been made by Congress to pay for these
supplies. Congress could not have antici-
pated that Col. Fremont would raise Cal
ifornia battalion by his own personal exer-
tions, and without previous instructions"
"Q-Do you know whether or not the
defendant himself individually and for his
own private use or benefit ever received
any consideration for the said bills, or any
of them, or was there any consideration
whatever for the drawing or accepting of
the same bills, or any or either of them,
other than the said supplies to or for the
said forces of the said Government of the
United States?"
al neither know nor believe that
the defendant himself individually, Or for
his own private use or benefit, ever receiv-
ed any consideration for said bills, or any
of them, and do not believe there was any
consideration whatever for the drawing or
accepting of the same bills, or any or either
of them, other than to procure supplies for
the forces under his command in Cali
fornia."
Mr.. Buchanan also affirmed in regard to
the bills:
81 SHOULD HAVE ACCEPTED
AND PAID THESE BILLS, FROM
MY GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF
THE TRANSACTIONS. IN CALL
FORNIA, HAD CONGRESS APPRO-
PRIATED ANY MONEY, AND PLA-
CED IT AT MY DISPOSAL, WHICH
COULD BE APPLIED TO THEIR
PAYMENT, THOUGH 1T WOULD
HAVE BEEN MORE CORRECT TO
HAVE DRAWN THESE BILLS ON
THE SECRETARY OF WAR;"
Those Buchanan journals who have been
soiling their dirty fingers, and disgusting
all decent men in their own ranks by their
trumging up contemplate assaults upon
Mr.. Fremont's honesty in his financial op-
erations, will please take notice that out
of Mr.. Buchanan's own mouth they are re-
buked. Start the machine again, gentle
men-your only chance is to tell so many
lies between now and election that they
cannot all be answered, and you are not
lie ahead yet.-Leader, 22d.