The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1856-01-26
The Dismissal Of Col. Montgomery.

1 1he Dismissal OF Col. montgomery.
'sThe recent dismissal of Brevet Col
William R. Montgomery, Major SECOND
infantry, from The U. S. Army, accord
ing to the sentence of a Court Martial
of which Col. Joseph K. F. Mansfield
Inspector General, was president. grew
out Of his comDlicity in the Pawne'
town site speculation of Governor Reed
er, which, with other similar affairs
brought about the removal of the latter
He { Major NJ was charged with using
the trusts of his official position for the
benefit of the original spectators con
nected with the oawnee city town site
of which he. was one; and having beer
found guilty of SO doing, he is dismissed
from the army"
We copy the. above announcement
from the Washington Star. An intimate
personal acquaintance with Col. H., and
full knowledge of all the facts in the
case, enables us to declare these charges
and the sentence harshly unjust. We
feel confident that he would never have
been visited with such condemnation,
had not the dismissal of Gov. Reeder,
upon the grounds above alleged, left nc
alternative When it became necessary
to remove Gov. r., that the pledges o.
Secretary Davis might be redeemed, and
the "Atehison Regulators" quieted. il
will be remembered a pretext was sought
to be manufactured out of an alleged
criminal speculation in Half breed lands.
This having been swept away by the an
swer of Gov. R. to the letter of the Pres
ident, in which he clearly disproyed the
charge, another excuse was necessary to
justify the removal. which was at the
time foregone conclusion. Foolishly
imagining that partial concealment oI
the design of his removal would screen
them from the angry reprobation which
it was sure to meet upon disclosure oi
the real object, the Secretary of StaOe
was instructed to inform him of his dis.
missal upon the ground of locating
towns "upon military and other re.
serves"-intimating that he had done sc
in the case of Pawnee. Everybody va,
not acquainted with the facts in the case,
and of course it was thought that there
was little fear of the discovery of the ut
ter falsity of the charges. At this late
day, when the people are aware of the
true causes of Gov. RS removal, il
would be improbable to pursue an in
quiry as to them, and we merely allude
to them. in connection with the dismissa
of Col. Montgomery, to enable the peo'
pie to Judge intelligeutly of the character
of this last tyranical act of the powers Al
Washington, growing out of the location
of the town of Pawnee, as alleged upon
the Fort Riley Reserve. Gov. Reedel
had been removed, the Star says, for hi:
completely in this matter, though they
know that the town was located long be.
fore he got to Kansas, and Col. M. ha:
been cashiered for the sake Of coasisten'
cy. Every intelligent person would have
exclaimed, sit was not right to dismis,
Gov. Reeder for purchasing shares in 9
town located as was Pawnee, and suffer
the officer who permitted the location te
be made to pass free," and hence the
removal of this gallant officer. We vii
not stop to prove our assertion, but viii
pledge our honor for the truth of it; tha
COL Montgomery Has sacrificed for til.
sake Of consistency, and not for abuse
of the trusts of his official position. AL
though located in September, and known
TO the President and the Secretary o
War, there was not a word said abou
this abuse of trusts until in May follow
ing, when it was thought by the Presi
dent aud Secretary that the Pawnet
Speculation would furnish an excuse
for the removal of Reeder, which wa
then beginning to excite cabinet discus
sions. The result as to Reeder is knewr
to the country; but very little emotion
is excited by the announcement of tht
dismissal of Brevet Col. William r
Montgomery, because few persons ar,
aware that he also was sacrifice to tina
miserable policy which stopped to "ruf
fan" dictatioH, aud has within the las
month nearly embroiled the country il
civil strife. Col. Montgomery was al
intelligent. heightened officer, whose ser
vices In Mexico are attested by honora
BILE scars received at Palo Alto and No
limo Del Rey. A kind and afable dis
position made him friends in every &C
quaintance. BY whom this act of injus
tice viii bs remembered until he is re
instated, and the whole action in bis cas-
is repudiated by an enlightened publi'
opinion.-Easton Afgus.