Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-09-09
From the New York Tribune

has lived in the public eye. Without the
advantage of West Point education, he
won his way In early manhood 10 high
position IN the Army. Entering Califor-
ma just before the breaking out of the
Mexican War as subaltern commanding
small party of explorers and guides, he
was appointed by Com. Stockton, who is
| now claimed to have been the conoueror
OF California, the Civil Governor of that
extensive and important conquest. When
SO appointed, over the heads cf MANY able
and experienced officers of higher rank,
but 80 years of age. The appointment
involved him soon afterward In an unea
pected and most unwelcome collision with
Gen. kearney, In which the sympathies
OF the West Point officers-that s,ot near
ly all the Army men-were naturally en-
listed against him. His career in Cali
firnla was consequently subjected to a
hosule surveillance practically ubiquitous
and unsleeping, and every thing that could
be raked up to his prejudice was brought
before the resulting Court Martial The
record of his trial is sill in existence, and
proves incontestably that but one fault
could be justly charged upon i.::n.-that of
Ooiii. StoChtOu "lcIl tIc OOuTt
decided that he should have needed rath-
er tie conflicting orders of Gen. Kearney,
under circumstances which the Court IL
self declared eminently calculated to per-
pick and mislead him. And though the
Court sentenced him therefor to lose his
commission, the President (Polk imme-
dlately restored it.
Years afterward-in fact, only last year
his long evaded claim to be paid for
cattle furnished, not to his own command,
but to other q. S. officers in California,
after he had ceased to WELD any authority
there was brought to issue before Congress
and unanimously sanctioned. Both Houses
after careful scrutiny, decided that the
money was honestly his due, and should
be paid. Here is the essential portion of
the unanimous Report of the House Com
mittee on Indian Affairs consisting of
Messrs. Orr Of S. c., Eastman of Wis,
Grow of Pa, Ball of Ohio, Maxwell of
Fla, Wright of Miss. Greenwood of Ark,
Pringle of N. Y, and Latham of CAL.
Gall Democrats but Ball and Pringle, and
five of them now Buchanan men,
"Col. Fremont they say, purchased
a large number .of beef cattle in the
southern part of the State, and hired dri-
vers at a heavy cost to drive them to the
designated place. The cattle were driven
upward of three hundred miles in the heat
of summer, in the dry season, at great
labor and exposure, and some 400 were
lost or died on the route. He delivered
TO agent Barbour, and took his receipt
therefor, one million two hundred and
twenty-five thousand FIVE hundred pounds
beef on hoof ,225 500 lbs J, and ac-
cepted in payment drafts drawn by agent
Barbour On the Secretary of the Interior,
amounting to one hundred and eighty-three
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five
dollars (SlS3 ,S25). These drafts were
protested on presentation no appropria-
ton having been made by Congress from
which they could be paid. Subsequently,
the treatise was rejected by the Senate,
for reasons which have not yet been made
public, and the Indians of California have
been driven from their lands and homes,
and have received no compensation from
the Government, save the beef furnished
them by Col. Fremont, and which he now
asks the Government to pay him for
The beef went into the hands of the a
gents of the Government ; whether it
was all faithfully distributed among the
Indians by the sub-agents is nos a ques-
ton that is to effect the justice and equity
of the claim of Col. Fremont. He fur
nished the agents of the Government with
a large quantity of beef. Most, if not all
of it, was used in feeding the Indians; it
was furnished to comply with treaty stip-
ulations; it stopped the war and restored
peace to the country; and will the Gov
ernment now shield itself from the pay
ment of his claim, and devolve ruinous
loss upon one of its own citizens, upon the
technical pretex, that the agent had no
specific authority to make the contract 3
WE HAVE RECEIVED THE ADVANTAGES
AND BENEFITS OF THE CONTRACT, AND
YOUR COMMITTEE BELIEVE THAT 1T Is
JUST THAT WE SHOULD FAY FOR II"
Weller and Gwin, Senators from Cali
fornia, united in saying that Col. Fre-
mont was Justly entitled to the money
The representatives of California Nc
Dougal and Latham) concurred In this
opinion. Mr. Breckenridge, the Buchan-
eer candidate for the Vice Presidency,
-concurred In the opinion expressed IN the
report The House UNANIMOUSLY pass
ed bill indemnifyng Col. Fremont.
Hereupon both Houses voted and the
President sustained the payment of his
just due, years after he had been impris-
oned as a debtor in London because HE
could not pay those of whom he bought
the cattle. Col. Fremont was now a pri-
vate citizen, having no further dealings
with the Government. Of course, any
one at all acquainted with the manner in
which business is done in the Treasury
Department must be aware that if he had
owed the Government one penny on any
account whatever-if there had been even
claim or pretense of claim against
him, no matter how groundless, whether
for moneys advanced, over-charge, cattle
paid for and not delivered, or on any pos
sible ground-the amount of such claim
would have been deducted and withheld
in paying the money found due him by
/ Co,oraSS &c aforesaid R,it no s1ch