The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-10-09
eyes, SIR Here Mr.. Potter drew ut

= ~, oA. AASlS MI. oIlcT uTeW up
an agreement. it -,
He then notified me to hold myself
ready to call on Col. Fremont at his house
and get the proof had agreed to accept.
In the course of a few days Mr.. Potter
called at my place of business, and intro
duced me to Messrs. Nat. Comstock, Jr.,
and J. L. Moffat, and announced that he
was ready to call on Col. Fremont and
get the proof | required. We
were shown into the back parlor where
Mr.. Fremont was sitting, who on our en-
tcring arose and cordially greeted Mr..
Moffat, who then introduced Mr. Fremont
to Mr.. Comstock, Mr.. Potter and myself,
saying of me, ''He is a very good Fre-
mont man only that has some conscien-
tious scruples about you being Roman
Catholic, and he wishes to ask you few
questions in relation to that subject.
"On shaking hands Col. Fremont ask
ed me to sit down, and remarked, as he
sat down, 1 am willing to answer any
questions that You may please to ask me. ;
l said, Mr.. Fremont, I do not wish you
to understand, from what has been said,
that l prescribe man on account of his
religion, but co believe that the spiri: of
Roman Catholicism is directly antag-
onistic to the genius of our Republican
Institutions, and l am free to express that
| would conscienciously prefer a man for
the high office for which you are candi-
date, who does not profess the Roman
Catholic faith, but | am forced to ask you
few questions, owing to peculiar ar
rangement between Mr. Potter and my
self.' ...-
cit is pretty generally stated that you
were married by Roman Catholic priest,
which l suppose you too acknowledge to
be a fact 2" His answer was, Il do"
"Did you at that time acknowledge or
profess to be believer in the Roman
Catholic faith % His answer was, 81
did not --..-.,.
'Have YOU at any time, either before
or since your marriage, professed or ac-
knowledged yourself believer of the Ro-
man Catholic Church ?'' His answer
was, 81 have not''
| said, s'that is ALL Mr.. Comstock
Immediately asked if 1 were satisfied. l
replied that was. said this because |
considered I had CONSENTED TO receive
Col. Fremont's denial as decisive in my
agreement with Mr.. Potter
Mr. Potter exclaimed, ''There is anoth-
er good Fremont man made, Colonel
This is what We are doing and mean to do
every day" I replied, "Yes, Mr.. Ere
mont, suppose I have got to vote for you,
or forfeit thousand dollars. However,
think l shall prefer voting for you" -
He extended his hand and gave me a
hearty shake, and replied, II thank you,
and allow me to congratulate you upon
your decision
| then remarked to Col. Fremont that
| had two very important reasons for ask
ing those questions. One was that I was
very well acquainted with a highly intel
ligent Roman Catholic, whom believed
to be well posted in all the forms and GER.
emonies of the Roman Church, and be
had informed me that Catholic Priest
would not dare to marry couple unless
one or both of them professed to be a
Roman Catholic, for marriage was one Of
their religious sacraments, and considered
the most sacred of all.
"The other reason was that gentle
men who professed to be well acquainted
with Col. Fremont while in California,
told me that it was there generally under
stood that COL Fremont was Roman
Catholic.
Colonel Fremont replied in substance
as follows :-'.In reference to my mar
riage, all that can say is that have Ia
ken little interest in the tenets of that
church, and know but little about them
But myself and wife were married by a
Catholic, and believe that there are
many instances where Protestants have
been married by Catholic clergymen. p
He here mentioned case, but l do not
remember the names.
elm regard to my being Catholic
while in California, I can say that while
there 1 labored excessively hard, and
when Sunday came l was very much fa-
tigued, and did not feel like going to
church, although my wife did when it was
convenient. But l generally staid al
home and spent my time in reading, wri-
ting and attending TO such other matters
of business as l considered of Importance
and to my knowledge was never inside
of any church while in California"
He then said, Il am often asked about
my being a Catholic by all parties, and
even BY Catholic delegations, and | pre-
sumo the one.up stairs now waiting for al
[ interview with me, wishes TO interrogatt
: me upon the same question. Wien thes
IL ...aoS yc,,orubTo coo efr,,c