Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-09


in our extended West, especially 9TH an enemy
composed. in great part, of rowing guerrilas. Ad-
ded to this annoyance is his Hungarian body
at his quarters, with all the paraphernalia of an
European palace.
The third objection is the great difficulty of
seeing the General on important business
have known Colonels of regiments spend three,
four and five days in st. Louis, seeking an inter
view with the General, TO tender regiments for
the public service. Some of them gave up the
case as hopeless. and went home without the
sight" When perseverance was crowned with
success, and regiments were accepted, have
known them wait for necessary orders two or
three days. This last delay may have been the
fault of his staff, but if so, the General should
provide against such delays in his own Office.
Among the Colonies referred to as offering troops
but delayed, will name Col. Turner, Col. Tin
dell. Col. Glover, Col. Foster. Col. Hays. and
Col. John S. Phelps.
Governors, Congressmen, and leading men of
the West have failed to obtain interviews with
the General when calling on business Of impor-
tance to the public service If this statement is
doubted by your readers. let then inquire of Gov.
Gamble, Gov. Yates, ex- Governor Wood, Sen
ator Browning, and others who have tried the
experiment.
A fourth cause of complaint is neglect to pro-
tect northeast Missouri from Martin Green's band
of marauders. They we're allowed to sweep
over several counties, disarmng and robbing the
Union men Of those counties before any effort
was made to check them. 1t was a still greater
neglect to leave Col. Mulligan without reinforce
ments at Lexington, when it had been known in
st. Louis for ten days before Price reached Lex
ington that he was marching on that place with
large army.
fifth cause of complaint is his extravagance
with the public money in all his expenditures;
one of these expenditures being the surrounding
of the city of st. Louis with Notifications that
will, if completed, cost million of dollars.
A sixth cause of complaint is the Importation
of contractors and others from California, some
of them as follows: Major Wood, once connected
with the Express Company in California, Priu0te
Secretary; Mr.. Beard, Contractor for earthwork
about St. Louis-estimated amount of contract
S255, 900; Mr.. Haskell. said to be of the late firm
OF Palmer, Cook 4 Co., contract for wagons and
horses to an enormous amount; Major Selover,
formerly auctioneer in San Francisco, dealer in
and seller out OF contracts generally; and Col.
Adams, of California, contract for building two
propeilers, forty floating batteries, &c There
are some other Californians here said to have
contracts on a smaller scale.
Now, 1 do not wish to disparage California or
any of her citizens, but is it not strange that a
digger of bitches has to be brought from Califor-
mia. and the work let out to him by contract? Is
it not strange that the contract for wagons shall
be given to a Californian. not mechanic, instead
of going direct to the wagon makers of the West?
Is it not strange that a contract for boats and
batteries in St. Louis, is given to Californian
and that all these fat jobs are let out priUately7
No advertisement. no competition.
In alluding to these matters, make no charge
of corruption against General Fremont; but do
fear that he allows his confidence to be imposed
upon. Such operations, if continued, will drain
the treasury faster than Secretary Chase can re-
plenish it.
ITO sum up then, in brief. the causes of COM
plant that have gone up from Missouri against
Fremont. are his neglect of the gallant Lyon; his
neglect of north east Missouri; his neglect to re-
inforce Lexington until the enemy were upon it;
his exclusveness and neglect to see Governors
and Colonels on important business; and his ex-
travagance in the expenditure of public money.
So far as his proclamation was concerned, il did
not meet the hearty approval Of Union men in
Missouri. They thought it too important step
to take. and too great political issue to make.
without consulting the President; they thought
il showed weakness to proclaim martial law in
Missouri, without the power to enforce it.
At the very date of bis proclamation, some of
the bounds within which martial law was to pre-
vail were in the hands of the enemy; within a
week thereafter, st. Joseph City, and the rail-
road leading to it, were under the control of Sc
ceSsion. Hence, his proclamation was mere
"paper blockade" and calculated to bring its
author into ridicue before our enemies But
while this was the opinion entertained. it was no {
made cause of complaint at Washington. Our
people care not for such trifes. They would put
up with new proclamation every day, if they
could see any evidence of generalshp in the
marshaling of our armies, and in meeting and
overthrowing traitors. Yea, more: they would
stand the squandering of a few millions of the
public money, if done by dashing and victori-
Gus conqueror.
But to see the court style of Princes set up in
our midst-to see our General surrounded by
those not only ignorant of our institutions and
the geography of our country, but ignorant of
our language-to see the first men of our coun-
try, calling on important business, denied inter-
views with the Commanding General-to see the
Public Treasury bleeding, and nothing done to
relieve US from the sweeping march of traitors
through our State-these are among the causes of
our complaint. These are the grievances of
which true Union men-with no desire but the
public good, with no wish to injure Fremont. but
from duty to the country and the cause-have
complained and will continue to complain, until
the Commander-in- Chief of the Army and Navy
of the United States remedies the evil, and gives
US man better calculated to direct the grand
army of the West.
A change in this Department will be made-it
rests with the President to decide whether 1T shall
be made "betore Manassas" or "dtter Manassas. y
| Such are the convictions of CANDoR.
|