Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-07
THE FREMONT rMBRoGLtO.

THE FREMONT 1MBROGLIO.
MRS FREMONT. LETTER TO President LIN
coLN-THB PRESIDENTS RkPLF-obN fsE-
MoSr's DEMAND FOR COL. BLAIR's LETTER
POSTMASTER BLAIR's ANswER-THK LETTER
OF col. BLAIR ABOUT GKN. FREMONT. -
We fnd the subjoined in the Cincinnati En-
quirer Of Friday:
During the past month the country has been
disturbed by the unfriendly relations that have
sprung up suddenly between Major Gen. Fremont,
commander Of the western division Of the army,
and Col Frank p. Blair, Jr., Of the LIST Regiment
Missouri volunteers Digit artillery. The letter
Of Colonel Blair to Judge Blair, his brother, and
Postmaster General, was Immediately brought
before the President and Cabinet, and a vigorous
discussion ensued for the removal Of General FREE
mont, but resulted In the postponement Of such a
decision for the present--the President and ma.
jority Of the Cabinet being unqualihediy adverse
to the removal.
Mrs Fremont, who was in Washington at the
time, received information Of Col Rlair's attack
on Gen Fremont, and Immediately wrote TO the
President requesting a copy OF Col B 3 letter.
The President declined to furnish Col Blair's
letter. and In the same letter dsclaimed any hos.
tlity to the General, or that any mpression had
been made on his mind against tEe honor or in
tegrity Of Gen. Fremont. Gen. Fremont then
telegraphed the President, requesting copy Of
Col. Blair's letter, and through Judge MontgoIn-
cry Blair the letter Of the Colonel was forwarded
| to Gen. Fremont, accompanied with a request
that the Colonel should be released from arrest.
The offer of release was extended to Col Blair
Colonel declined the offer, and 10 now at Jefer-
son barracks, awaiting the examination before
court martial.
COL. BLAIR's LETTER TO POSTMASTER BLAIR.
ST. Louis, Sept |, 1861
Dear Judge write you quite fully about our
! affairs here by Judge Gamble, and am more
and more convinced Of the views stated to you
in that Letter. Affairs are bscoming quite alarm
ing In the northern part Of the State well az in
the south Men coming here to give information
| are not allowed to approach Fremont, and go
| away in disgust.
| have felt II nv duty to tell him what thew
say, and he throws himself behind the reports OF
his officers, who are trying to prevaricate and
shield themselves for neglect Of duty and he
still cings to them, and refuses to see for him.
self. told him he would not escape responsible.
ty in that way. aud he would very soon find an
army Of rebels 10 600 strong on his hands In North
Missouri, threatening st. Louis and diverting
his attention and occupying the forces he desired
to use against Mccullough and Pillow. He
talks OF the vigor he 10 going to use, but can
see none Of 1t, and / fear II will turn out 10 be
some raah and inconsiderate move adopted in
haste TO make head against a formidable force
which could not have accumulated except through
gross and inexcusable negligence.
Oh for one hour of our dead Lyon MANY
have been disposed to blame Fremont for not send
ing reinforcements to Lyon, and thus averting the
calamties brought on by bis death, and the aban-
donment Of Springfield by his command 1t Is
very certain that II he had sent the regiments TO
Lyon that he took to Cairo when 1t was su ppo.ed
that place was threatened, Lyon would have
Il
whether the attack was seriously contem plated on
Cairo that time or not. but I am disposed TO be-
lieve that the movement by Mccullough and Pill
low were intended to be simultaneous and en-
operate, but Lyon should have had some part of
the reinforcenlents at any rate and II he had re-
ceived two regiments his victory would have been
complete undertake to say If Fremont acted on
mem as he does now, U was away and cannot
speak OH that head } he could not have informed
himself very accurately of the necessities of his
posi- ton. The event shows that no attack was
ladn lN..ir
the reinforcements sent. IL the same or one half
OF the regiments had been sent TO Iyon we should
have had equally satisfactory results
The views have given OF this matter are facts
becoming public opinion here, and think the
government should know It. Probably you have
information which will satisfy you that Fremont
wa, to blame II SO, the public here should know
1t also in order that the confidence of the people
should not be withheld from the comrnandino
general. could not think, when frst returned
here, that any part Of the blame could rest with
nm, gu. my OBSERVATIONS since have shaken my
faith TO the very foundation -
THERE'S one point which did not refer to In
my letter, and which intended to remark on,
and that Is the utter want Of discipline in the
camps round and about st. Louis Ii 10 a rehear-
sal OF the state Of affairs IN Washington before
the fight at Manassas, and will 1 am apprebensIye
conduce to similar results, brought these
matters to Fremont's attention, but he put II aside
by saying IL would not do to be too eYacttnp at
once. Our enemies at the door and vet too early
to impart discipline to our asops and keep them
i are both In some sort responsible for Fremont,s
appointment, and for his being placed in COM
mand OF this department. and therefore / feel
another and an additional motive to sneak ont
openly about the matters MY decided opinion
10 that he should be relieved Of his commsnd
and man Of ability put In his place. The sooner
IL 10 done the better
have given You my opinion and the ground
for 1t liz the Government knows more of his
plans thai know-if you are satisfied with them
then You can burn this paper and say that am an
d!dTmtHj you know, however, that am not No
one has been more hopeful and confldent than 7
have been up to within few days past I felt
satisfied, on nv return here that affairs were crit
lcal but that the success and citation Of tha enemy
could be turned to good account, II the proper
steps were promptly taken. They haze NOT been
taken, and either the Government has failed TO
support Fremont al he should have been or he
has failed to apply the means at his disposal.
Affairs are worse than they We're two weeks ago
and are getting worse every day. Secession In.
creasing, Union men driven out, and the General
l fear, Incapable Of comprehending his position
His recent proclamation is the best thing Of the
kind that has been issued but should have been
1ssned when he first came, when he had th- power
to enforce II, and the enemy power to retalIate
NOW they are substantially enforcing against us
the substance Of his proclamation Outside of ~
Louis and our garrisons want YOU to Law these
things to your heart, and get ready to apply the
remedy before II Ii too late 81.
Will write you again very soon. hope I NAV
have better news to give you. I shall be but too
happy II anything occurs to restore nv confidence
In Fremont. | am well-better than haye been
for eig ht months. = - -
Yours, afectionately, FRANK P. BLAIR.
AFFAIRS IN THE WEsr -Prom the srecI,, t.,.