Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-21


Those who have been so ready to pro
nounce Fremont incompetent because he
didn't reinforce Lyon, and did buy tent
pins at high price, may probably find some
food for reflection in the following preg-
Dant hints in an article by Hon. Schuyler
Colfax, a man who is well known to be very
certain of his facts before he asserts them,
and very cautious in his inferences before he
declares them;
There is no use in attempting to follow
and reply to all these multiplied charges,
thick ss the leaves of Vallambrosa," for as
fast as the old ones were explained, new ones
were manufactured. But suppose IL should
be found that the refusal to reinforce Lyon
came from the highest military authority in
Washington, and not from Fremont; and
that Cairo and Birds Point, commanding
the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi,
were ordered to be promptly reinforced, as
the most important strategic point in the
country-and suppose these were orders
which Fremont did not issue, but obeyed;
what would become of that charge? Sup
pose, to descend from the grave to the petty,
it should be found that the charge that he
paid forty. FIVE cents for tent pins when q
blacksmith offered them at twenty-nine
cents, should prove true, only that the latter
was common pin, and the former an i'm
proved ore, with swivel and ring, that
horses could be hitched to, day or night.
| Suppose that it should be found that the
officers copgregated in the $4,000 q year
| "palatial residence" and within instant COM
munication with each other, and with a
telegraph Office under the roof, would have
received from the Government, if scattered
all over the city, an aggregate army allow
snce of 6,400 per year for quarters; would
these prove the charge of RECKLESS extrava-
gsnce0"
Butw we have said it is useless to 20 through
| in detail. We have not seen Fremont nor
had line from him for two months. All
! that we have written during that time has
been to insist that man who offers his serv-
ices and life for his country should not be
stabbed in the back while he faces the foe
and that the public should not join in his
| condemnation till they gave him an oppor-
tunity not denied to the vilest criminal, OF
being heard in his own defense. What has
been required of him was, that he should
| give his entire time to the thousands who
for one reason and another, insisted on see
ing him that he should, besides, constantly
consult with all his military subordinates, as
is right, and should tell them all his plans
| which is not right that he should see thai
every contract, from that denounced one oi
ice for sick soldiers in hospital down to tent
pins, should be at the lowest price (though
he had neither cash nor credit); that be
should ferret out every suspicion of dishon
esty, and see especially that they were moi
cheated in horses, as they had been at Wash
ington that he should defend his scattered
posts from Cairo to Paducah in the face o.
the enemy, and with State heaving witt
insurrection under his feet, while his regi
ments were ordered away from him thai
he should gather an army under the mos
depressing circumstances, and that he should
employ what leisure hours ne had left in col
lecting certificates and affidavits to prove tt
the public that he was neither thief nor {
fool.