The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-05
General Frcmont's Position--MiIisery
Changes in tho West.


General Fremont. on charges made by Colonel
Blair, had been ordered to report himself at
Washington, for trial by court martial; that
General Wool had been appointed to superscde
him in command of the Department of the West;
while General Mansfield had been directed to
assume the position thus left vacant at Fortress
Monroe 1t was also stated that the latter officer
had left the national capital for his post, and
that it was understood that General Wool was
already on his way West. No other paper be-
sides the HERALD gave any part of this import
ant news, and the usual nervous excitement pre-
vailed among our contemporaries at the def
cheney caused by their lack of enterprise, and
inability, under the pressure of inca
pacity and continually decreasing in
comes and circulation, to compete with us in
laying facts, at the earliest possible notice, be-
fore the public. They attempted to show, there
fore, that there was no confidence to be placed
in our telegraphic despatch, and that in imita-
ton Of large portion Of their own dispatches
and correspondence, we had admitted bogus in
formation into our columns. The truth, how
ever, is, that our Washington agent did perfect
~ right in sending us TIE news as he did, and
that the facts OF the case warranted him in max
ing every single assertion which we published.
Since the defeat, at Lexington, of the gallant
Mulligan, an irresistible cry has gone forth from
all parts of the loyal States, that al end should
be put to the series of blunders that have i'm
paired the success of the federal arms in Mis-
souri,; charges of the most grave and serious
character have been made against General
Fremont; credence has been given not only
here, but also at Washington to the complaints
alleged to have been laid before the administra-
ton; and, on Wednesday afternoon last
Cabinet meeting was held in relation to the
subject. At that meeting, Western military
matters We're warmly discussed in all their
bearings, and precisely The programme was at
length agreed on, which was telegraphed, that
evening, by our correspondent. This was rem
dered manifest, the next day, by tho replies
sent from Washington to the inquiries Of our
evening journals, and of the Associated Press,
and by the attempts made to verify or contra
dict our statements. The answer sent over the
wires on Thursday, and contained in the after
noon journals Of that day. were to the effect that
General Mansfield had been ordered to replace
General Wool; but that the notice concerning
Fremont was premature, the Cabinet being still
in session. Later it transpired that the first
decision which had been considered settled on
Wednesday night was modified upon further
consideration Of the situation of affairs in
Missouri, and that it had been thought better
n hut
simply to send of General Wool to supervise
military matters in the Department Of the West.
The despatch Of Secretary Seward, which we
publish in this mornings HERALD, explains this,
by saying that General Fremont will not be
'callcd from the field and has not been court
martialed." Sober second thought seems to
have determined the President to render mat
ters secure in the West by the presence Of
Wool, whose sagacty and energy are reliable
but not to iinperil them by change at a criti-
cal moment
1t is the duty Of government to correspond
fully to the requirement Of the people, that no
more fatal errors shall be committed in the
Of military matters in the West
One or two disasters similar to those which
have cost Lyon his life, and Mulligan an army
W Guild lose Missouri to the Union, and cast q
gloom over tie entire North. We have no doubt
that the Cabinet has deemed the reasons excel
lent which have decided it not TO supersede |
Major General Fremont altogether, for the pre-
sent, and to modify slightly the decision, ar
exclusively, on Thursday, in this paper. Nay
more, the presence of General Wool, will in
spire confidence that the calamities Of the last
few weeks, in Missouri, will be repaired, and
that victory will perch upon our dropping ban
ners. The reinforcements that have been for
warded to the West, will, we trust, hasten this
suspicious result, and Major General Wool
who was in Washington, in close communica-
ton with the Cabinet, yesterday, has received
his last specific Instructions, which include the
final removal of Fremont so soon as such a
measure shall become indispensable. In all
this sad affair, the energy, moderation, and
courtesy of the President shine forth conspicu-
ously, and, whatever the issue may be, no party
will, we presume, be rash enough to impugn
either the wisdom, temperance or patriotism of
his conduct.
The Hon. MAssA GREELEY WAXING Hor IN
Hrs WRATH-The Hon. Massa Greeley, in a
lengthy rigmarole in yesterdays Tribune, be-
trays himself as a philosopher in q towering
passion, scolding away at the HERALD with the
will and the venom Of an angry fshwoman.
1t would appear that we have sorely offended
Greeley in urging upon the government the
suspension of the disorganizing abolition here
sizes of the Tribune, with other journals of the
same rabid ant-slavery school. whose main