The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-10-14
Col. Fremont the Corqderor of California.--
His Accounts.--Mr. Buchanan's Testimo.
ny under Oath.

So many false charges have been made A.
gainst Col. Fremont since his nomination,
Though no man stood higher in the estima-
tion Of all parties before) that, perhaps, our
readers would like to know what Mr.. Buchan-
an thought of him before the nomination o.
either. Those Ruchaniers who had by false
hood endeavored to deprecate Mr.. Fremont,
and deny that he was the conqueror of Cali
fornia, and have represented him as defraud-
ing the government, will see by the following
extracts from Mr. Buchanan's testimony un-
der oath, that in making these charges against
Mr.. Fremont they vilify Mr.. Buchanan, their
own candidate, still more. Either those viii
fers of Mr.. Fremont must cease to ie or
they charge Mr.. Buchanan with perjury.
We have the whole testimony before us,
but have not room for it all in our paper
The following article from the Chicago Dem
ocratic Press exhibits the most material por-
tions of it:
FREMoNr's PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CHARAc-
TER VINDIcArED-MR. BUCHANAN on THE
STAND.-Bnchana journals throughout the,
country have devoted themselves with extra
ordinary industry in attempts to vilify the
public and private character of Col. Fremont,
from the day of his nomination until now,
and their assaults upon him have increased
in violence with every days progress Of the
campaign. The charges against him have
been Of all shades Of respectability, from the
coarse rant Of anonymous scribblers up to the
grave asseverations and studied insinuation Of
Senators and other high government officials.
It will be remembered that Just mt the close
Of In 1ocf 1f
were instituted by Administration Senators,
one Of which was designed TO strip Col. Fre-
mont Of portion of his well-earned laurels
as a military officer, and the other, to destroy
his character as a man Of integrity and trust
worthiness. The first, adopted on the mo-
tion of Senator Thompson of New Jersey,
was introduced to furnish the test for speech
afterwards made and circulated by cart-loads
throughout the country under the auspices of
the Democratic National Committee to prove
that Commodore Stockton, and not Col. Frc-
mont, was the true conqueror Of California;
the other instituted on motion of Senator
Bigler, of Pennsylvania, was designed TO
convey to the country the impression that
drafts drawn by Fremont upon his governm-
ent ever received and allowed more than a rea-
sonable compensation for what it did receive.
In spite of the most complete refutation Of
these charges against Col. Fremont, they con-
tinue to be repeated by the Washington Un-
ion, the Pennsylvania, and other organs,
and under the implied sanction of Mr.. Buchan-
an himself, who has all along been fully aware
Of their utter falsity. Ir is therefore with no
little satisfaction that we are enabled to bring
Mr.. Buchanan upon the stand to testify ex-
plcitly to the facts in relation to Col. FIRE.
mont's operations in California, about which
there has been so much Misrepresentation.
The last steamer from England brought on
important document, in which two Of the can
didatcs now before the people for the Presi-
dency prominently figure. 1t is a certified
copy of the evidence for the defence in the
case of Gibbs va. Fremont, being the copy of
depositions taken before Commissioner. under
the authority Of the Court of Common Pleas,
London, in 1852. Il will be- remembered
that Col. Fremont was arrested in London on
account Of debts contracted in California
The defence was, that these debts were con-
tracted on account of tho United States Gov
ernmeht. Col. Fremont drew bills Of ex-
change to the amount Of nineteen thousand
five hundred dollars upon the Secretary Of the
United States, the liabilities having been in
creased on Government account while Col.
Fremont was Governor of California. The
bills fell into the hands of persons in London,
and being protested for non-acceptance, the
holders sought to hold Col. Fremont personal
ly responsible. Tho evidence Of James Bu-
chanan of Pennsylvania-up6n whom, as Sec
rotary of State, the bills wero drawn--bcing
considered material to the issue, the Court
appointed Henry L. Gilpin, Hugh Campbell
and Peter Mccall of Philadelphia, Cummis-
sonen to take depositions Of witnesses for Col.
Fremont in Pennsylvania. They were to be
sworn and then administer oaths to interpret
crs, clerks, &c.,--thc testimony so taken TO
be sent to Sir James Pmk, Chief Justice Of
the Common Pleas.
We have this testimony now before us in
E.1I l..s IL T. Al