The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-09-19

DtttfNt hidt aiAt lS HDi L0 lt1
families Of volunteers, | respectfully re-
quest him or her to pass next Saturday at
my office. A. BgIDGMAs.
The Arrest os Col. r. p. BtAiv. Jr-
The arrest of Colonel T. =. Blair, Jr,
by order Of Major General Fremont, on
Sunday evening, has given rise 10 a great
deal Of excited comment In our city, and
will be received with profound astoni~h-
ment throughout the country The par
ticulars Of the case, as We learn them, are
To the following effect:
Colonel Blair chief offense is the wri-
ting Of certain letters to the President,
members of the Cabinet and other leading
parties in Washington City, complaining,
among other things, of the nefiiciency and
incompetency Of Gen. Fremont, speaking
specttuily Of him, aud asking for his
removal from the Department Of the West
This, as subordinate officer, according to
military regulations, he had no right to
do, and consequently became amenahle TO
the military law providing for the disci-
pine and good order Of the army. twas
doubtless at the urgent deunand Of Col
Blair that james O. Broadhead Esq. of
this city, made visit to Washington city
few days ago to lay before the Cabinet
the case Of Gen. Fremont and to urge his
removal and it is probable, upon these
representations of Col. Blair, through Mr.
Broadhead, that udee Montgomery Blair
Of the Cabinet and Gen. Meigs. Of the
| Quaftermastcr Department, were APP
pointed commission to proceed 10 tie
department Of the West and make inqui-
Ties luto the nature OF the charges agalnst
| the Commander in chief Ol the results
Of that commission We know nothing
General Meigs, il Is stated, is the FREUD
.. tsen. Fremont in this matter, ana such
Investigations az may have been made
were undoubtedly conducted with rigid
| impartality. This commission, however,
as far az We understand it, does not affect
Col Blair. He was at liberty, as an Off
Ger Of the army, to prefer charges against
| his superior III command, but there Is a
manner Of doing this, specially prescribed
| by military law, which Col Blair did not
choose TO adopt Tie evidence of his in
subordination, as expressed in letters and
communications, we understand, is of the
strongest character. 1t is rumored that
some of General Eremonts staff, and
| large number of subordinate officers who
owe their commissions to the influence of
| Col Blair, are implicated in this effort to
remove Gen. Fremont, aud have been inn
prudent in their daily speech and action.
| The evidence against them - also In the
proper hands
| The case. which is so seriously regret
ted in this city and State, where Col Blair
is 80 well known, and where he has spent
the better part of his life in honorable pub
| lie effort and service, is not without its
pcculiarities and endorsements The
question arises whether the arrest is prop
err, since Col Blair has no military com
mission. 1t will be remembered he de-
MED his Colonelcy during the session OF
the last Congress, and since that time, we
understand, has not accepted an army
commission, yet he has been the acting
| Colonel Of the First regiment Of Missouri
volunteers, Has slg1cu Hllilseii ds SuCIl, mas
been industriousy engaged in converting
that regiment into IN artillery corps, has
worn the uniform of Colonel, and in all
respects assumed the full responsibility of
that office Still, is he u Colonel without
IA commission and is he properly subject
TO military arrest The ease may not
present these difficulties to any one better
acquainted with military law than our
selves.
IL reference 70 the course 70 be rur
sued by Col Blair, we know nothing. 1t
would be in coDsonance with the pluck
and manliness of his character, should he
meet the charges against him with a fair
stand up fight as an army officer. Many
of his friends, however, claim for him an
entire exemption from military arrest, ON
the ground that in this matter he has act
cd simply as a civilian, or at most, as the
Congressional Representative of this Dis
| triet. The examination, which will be of
private character, will not take place, we
understand, for sbme days,-St Louis
Dem.