Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-11-16

Removal of Gen. Fremont.

Gen. Fremont has ut last been removed
from the command af the Western army.
His address upon taking leave of the
troops, while il counsels obedience to the
commands of bis successor, and dispels the
idea that he meditates resistance to the
Government, is nevertheless calculated to
foster the spirit of discomfort which pre-.
walls to an alarming degree in the West
ern army. Probably it was not designed
to have this effect-and the private exhor.
tations Of Gen. Fremont to his officers,
may have entirely dispelled any feelings
of insubordination caused by his removal.
We cannot understand why Gen. Fremont
should claim exemption from the ordinary
rules applicable TO all military command.
ers-or why the personal attachment of an
army should be set in opposition to the
welfare of the service and the success Of
the cause. There is an abundant evidence
that Gen. Fremont is not the man to di.
rect military movements upon a large
scale. Admitting, for the sake Of the ar
gument, that the report Of Adjutant Gen.
eral Thomas is to some extent partial and
prejudiced, (Which is not probable,) even
prejudice could not invent such q record
Of blunders, of incompetence and inefi.
cheney as this report discloses to the public.
The Administration, looking only to the
public good, was bound to remove him
when these facts came to its knowledge in
in an official sbape-and the failure to do
so would have subjected it to the charge Of
running unnecessary risks for the sake Of
favoring an incompetent General. Instead
of dealing harshy with Gen. Fremont, and
removing him upon insufficient evidence,
we venture to say that no other man has
been treated with so much indulgence
that no other General would have been
permitted to remain so long in command
after giving so many evidences Of incapa-
city. Some of Gen. Fremont's indiscreet
friends seek to gain sympathy for him by
holding out the idea that he is prosecuted for
his anti-slavery opinionsas if insubordi
nation, extravaganza and incapacity were
not reasons sufficient for his removal with
out searching for secondary causes. While
it is mol true that Gen. Frcmonts anti
slavery views caused his removal, it Is
true that his anti-slayery views is the ori,
gin of the sympathy layisbed upon him,
and the cause of the attacks upon the Ad>
ministration because Of his supercedure.
The Aboitionists prefer a General who
sympathizcs with their views to one who is
able 10 beat the encmy-and they can
overlook the gravost military faults in a
commander provided he is in favor of lib
Grating the slaves.
The Philadelphia Moth .7hleyican con.
tains an article on the command in Miss
ouri with an extract from which we close
our remarks;
"The moment il becomes question
whether the President dares to remove a
General from command lest rebellion
follow, that moment the usefulness Of an.
such General is gone and his continuance
in position is wrong both to himself and
{ nation. There must be no higher author
titles than those which the people have lc.
gally constituted, and any effort Of mill
: tary leader to set himself above the regu-
Y lar operations Of the Government, above
: responsibility to the properly constituted
officers Of the law, aud to hold a defan
. tone toward the President, the War Dc
partment, or the regular examining ant
: supervising officers Of the army, must b.
!. considered as tratorous, no matter who h
h may be.
eff General Fremont were Thousand
Z times greater than he is We should hol,
@ the same language toward him; and W
G cannot help but regard it as astonishing
# while, without the assignment Of any spe
/. cial reason, We peacefully and withou
trouble set aside the veteran generals VIII,
c have fought the battles of the public in he
&c foreign wars, there should be any sugges
e ton Of characterization in case General i
Il removed who never before commanded a,
= army, division, a brigade, or regiment
who never fought battle, and whose abil
tiles for field operations are purely conjec
B, tural We have read with equal surpris
s and regret remarks in the ST. Louis Den,
!. oc,at, Republican, and other papers be
: lieved to be under the direct control O
% Gen. Fremont, which breath rank treason
IS The insinuations they contain of Ievol
l. of the whole northwest in case Of his re
It moval are really monstrous."
The Soldiers Vote Of Columbia County
The Prothonotory this county certife