, 1861-12-28
Letter From Hon, S, CpIfux.

Thc.following letter from the Hon. s. Col
fax has been crowded ont BY press of other
matter, for several days.
HoUEE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
... WASHINGTON C1rg, Dec. Is.
TO the Editors OF the Chicago Tribune:
j.. Your sense of Justice, and the friendly rela-
tlons that have always existed between lis,
will, trust, allow me brief space in your
columns to correct q very great mistake into
correspondent has fallen in his letter published
last Saturday. He says, "He hos searched
diligently to find one single member Of either
House who proposes to defend Fremont
that - the most he coll hope from those mem
bers who were on bis staff in Missouri is en-
tire silence" and that ttif Mr. Colfax SAYS q
word in his behalf, he will surprise those who
know him most intimately"
The fact is, members who stand by Fremont
are numbered By the score. My belief as
have stated in each Of the four editorials I
wrote on this subject, has been TINT, he may
men in st: Louis, who, though men of great
energy, abused his confidence for their own
gain; but that the attempt to saddle On him
the charges against McKinstry, who as Quar-
termaster- General at st. Louis before he went
there, and whom be had no power to remove
than be has to remove yon from the edi.orship
Of the TRIBUNE, and for whose acts he was no
more responsible than Gen. Mcclellan Is for
the official acts Of the Quartermsster General
here, Gen. Meigs- in the last degree, 'un-
just Probably money may have been injudi-
ciously expended in the Western Dept, posi-
BIZ one tenth as much as has been wasted In
the Department Of the Potomac though
hope not. But shall not trespass On yon, if
sou print this letter, any extended defence Of
Fremont. He will speak for himself Suffice
it to say witlout making any catalogue OF
sympathize with him, and who state openly
that they have not lost confidence in him IS o
man, as general or as a patriot are Speaker
Grow, Thaddeus Stevens, Chairman Of the
Committee on Ways and Means, and the
man Of Public Laws John Cogode, Chairman
Of Public Expenditures; C. B. SedgHick,
Chairman Of Naval Afairs- names which I
allude to, not because they are better than
scores Of others, but because they are widely
known to -FOUR readers: 7 trnst yon who
justice to believe TINT I never deserted
friend because Of public clamor or ad-
yersity; and that 1 never hcsitated at
the expression of my convictions, in or out
luded, but I know that my opinion is con
scientious one, and thatI would to-day gladly
gire my pay for this whole Congress if Fre-
mont had been sent to Port Royal instead Of
Sherman. Let ne add, that if there should
be Fremont debate here, you will probably
u<AfE 1OuA ~ Luz " tAuA l4Jt " IAG
telegraph: a debate on TuesdaJ, in which
! Col. Shank, Of Indiana, {one OF Fremonts aids
| in Missouri,) WIN. Morris, Of Pennsylvania,
| and the writer hereof, participated on one
| side, and Col. Blair on the other side Of the
controversy, vas not alluded to in the Con
10 the Associated Press North and West.
Yours truly, SCHUYLER CoLFAx.
As the point at issue is between OUT Wash
ington correspondent and Mr.. Colfax, NC will
not interfere farther than to remark, that while
it may be technically true that Gen. Fremont
could not remove Quartermaster McKinstr.
Of his Owl motion, yet it is equally true tha
he could have had him turned out, at any tim
if he desired it. It was only necessary for Gen
Fremont to have indicated to the Secretary Q
War that McKinstry was swindling tile Gov
ernment, and that he wished him removed
and off would have come his head, as quickl
as d tc1cgraphic dispatch could have reache
the vil1ain. As soon as Fremont was supel
cedcd his successor found means to re1noy
McKinstry in douhle-qnick time. Ali OF
friend Colfax says, on this head, together wit
the defense built upon It, topples to the grount
There is really only one defense that can
l set up, and TINT is, that Gen. Fremont #:
i, ignorant Of the character Of McKinstry, ~
l ignorant Of the astounding frauds which l
E and the imported "Ca1ifornia gang'' we're pc
!, petratlng upon the National treasury duzin
the whole of lis administration. But aft
reading the revelations Of the Investisatin
Committee, reported to Congress, Mr, Golf;
evidently sees that this plea OF Ignorance,
cstoppcd, and that there is no escape for b
: friend in that direction, hence the weak o.
s lie offers. "a bad excuse is worse than none
( says the old proverb.