Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-02

Sank work Every description Of binding done,
elPSoially Blank bookn Lodgers. Journals, Sales
Ehs Aajutsns GsneraPs Report upoa Fre-
mont'n Case.
Adintant-G General Thomas, who sccomps-
MED Secretary Cameron to Missouri upon q
sour Of observation as to the management of
sGairs in the Western Department has sub
mitted his report, aud 1t is published. It Is
teo long for our columns, occupying as 1t
d0ss one whole page Of the n. 7. Tribune
The report as Is explained by an accompany
ing note, Is made rather in the form Of casual
notes By the way than in regular business
Eiyls. So much so, that one would imagine
& % be merely tho Adjutant- Generals own
private memoranda, for guidance for a subse-
Quent official report This style detracts
much from the dignity which we usually ex-
pset in document of such importance as this
ons must be, although of course it does not
s8ect the weightef facts and figures set forth.
The RepoFt hrst speaks Of the camp at Benton
Barracks, as having cost Sl5, ,oO0, "and if so,
It was judicious" Gen. Curtis, the command
srGtSt. Louis, said that he found no difficult
b IN getting access to Fremont, and when he
presented business connected with his COM
msnd, it was attendedto. BE says, however,
that he never dared express his opinion to
Gen. Fremont, as be " was bound by no law"
The hospitals, Gen. Thomas says, were in fine
order snd credit to the service.
The chief Paymsster made complaint of ir-
rsgaiarides in his department, consequent
upon the appointment of many persons by
Gen. Fremont the appointments being, it is
claimed, irregular. The whole number of
Irregular appointments made BY Gen. Fre-
mont, was said by Col. Andrews-the Pay
mAster-to be nearly 200. These are, of
course, questions for the authorities at Wash
iRgton, and not the people, to judge; being
purely military questions. Then follows one
Of The great charges-Of eItravsgance and
fraud in contracts. It is charged that while
advertisements were published for propose l.
for corn at 20 cents per bushel, oats at 30
cents, and hay at SI7s5, parties in st. Louis
were directed to send to Jefferson City, where
hay and grain abound, 100000 bushels of
oats, with a corresponding amount of hay, at
50 cents for the former, and $500 for the
lasier. This is q matter to be inquired into
certainly, bat In considering these charges
We are to remember that as yet Fremont has
made not one word of defence, and he may
be able 10 satisfactorily explain these mat
tsrs. Of the immediate exigencies Of the case,
We are not qualified to judge. The Report
; says that quantity Of blankets, mostly OF
cotton, were purchased, after being rejected
by an examining board Of army officers, but
We are not informed whether better ones were
% be had, to supply the actual necessities of
the soldiers. We imagine half the blankets
now being furnished the State OF Ohio in re-
Sponss to the proclamation of Gov DennisOn,
would not pass inspection before board of
army officers, and yet they are the best that
can be had, for there are no good ones In
market
The Report says that among the supplies
cent into the field were 500 half barrels, to
carry water where water is abundant. But
If Col. Mulligan had had half that number at
Lexington, be would not have surrendered.
Water was "abundant" in that part of the
country, but 1t did him no good.
The Report says:
We examined the barracks in course of con-
struction in St. Loui., near and around the
private house occupied by him as quarters
the Brant house, which, by-the-by, is renbsd
for So, 600 per snnum.
H Il has been repeatedly stated by writers at
s. Louis, that this house belonged to a reia-
/ tive Of Gen. Fremont, and was occupied by
hin entirely free of charge, the government
rot paying cent for it.
pontoon bridge has been erected across
the Ohio river By Gen. Fremont, at Padueah.
A ferry boat, in e region where such boatz
are readily procured, would be just as efficient
and much less expensive.
That pontOOn bridge has been the subject of
much discussion, and 1t may be a monument
Of needless expenditure, but the loysl country
would be in happier mood to-day if there had
been somsthing Of the kind at Edwards Fer
y last week.
Having received an intimation from an
other quarter Of an impropriety, called on
Capt Mckeever, A. A e., for the facts, which
he gave me as follows: One week after the
. reseipt Of the Presidents order mOdifyiup
Gen. Fremonts proclamation relative TO the
emancipation OF slaves, Gen. Fremont by note
% Capt MeKeeTer. required him to have 200
copies of the original Proclamation, and Ad-
dress TO the Army Of the same date, printed
and sent Immediately to Ironton, for the use
Of Mai. Garrett, of the Indiana Cavalry, Tor
distrioution through the country. Captain
NcKeever had the copies printed and deliv-
cred.
Here was certainly cause for complaint if
the originals were not accompanied by the
Presidents order. We are not informed as
to this, but it is implied that it was not done.
Alter that order of President Lincoln's had
been issued, it was most clearly Gen Fre-
mouts duty to conform to it, whatever he
might think Of the policy of that mod
iseation.
Gen. Thomas speaks Of the guns which
were purchased By Gen. Fremont in Europe
and, BY implication, charges then IS being
worthless or st least greatly inferior, so that
in one case ttwenty out of q hundred would