The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-10
Fremont,s Defence.

The publication of Gen Fremont's de-
fence so completely annihilates his enc
mies--who have been pursuing him for
months with q malignity unequaled by
anything ever witnessed in this country
that they feel the necessity of shifting their
position. Instead of meeting him boldly
on an issue of facts and proving him guilty
of the frauds charged against him and of the
incOmpeteney of which he has been accused,
bis defamers seek TO deceive the public and
screen themselves by raising new and side
issue. The propriety of publishing his
-AQ defense is now the theme Of condemnation.
He should have trusted TO the justice of the
- American people for Justification Of his
contact, hypOcritieally whine his aecusers
and not have rushed into print at this
time, thereby creating Discussions where
all should De unity. Why didn't Fremonfs
detractors keep ont of print2 Why did
they use their Influence with. some of the
most powerful papers in the country to
hound him-nntil not content with having
MIN removed mum his command-they
sought to degrade him in the estimation of
the American People2 ss
For months prior to his removal from
the command of the Department of the
West Gen. Fremont was beset and badger
ed and bullied by his enemies through the
instrumentality Of the press. But not a
word did he reply to the storm Of abuse
heaped upon him. Night and day he devo-
ted to the interests of his Department and
the great Interior design of opening the
Mississippi River. A Board of InquisiIors
were sent to St. Louis, apparently for the
purpose of manufacturing case against
him, whose proceedings were all published
in the New York and other papers in adj
vance of the report of the Committee to
Congress. Why the necessity of this, if
there was no other object In view than the
good of the country2 To all this Fremont
made no reply. His friends asked permits
sion to appear before the Committee at its
sessions in ST. Louis to give in testimony
explanatory of some things in which the
Committee appeared to be in error, but they
were denied this privilege. Yet all this
time not a word of complaint from FIRE.
mont. Finally, while making preparations
to bring on battle with the rebels, he was
removed from his command. He surren-
dered it gracefully into the hands of his
successor. He returned to st. Louis. Yet
still not word do we hear from him in
the newspapers He labors to collect de-
tails and arrange his defense. Being sum
moned before the Joint Committee of tht
two Houses on the conduct of the war, BIZ
seized the opportunity to present his de-
tense in full. aAs matter of justice he
asked the Committee to order its publica-
E against him made by the Committee APP
pointed TO " inv estigate frauds, might also
be able to read his defense. For some rea
son the Committee failed to do this.
Soiong as the military operations of th'
Government were envsloped in gloom, hs
RETAINED from parading his grievances be
fore the public. Now that our arms havt
been successful, It is well that the peopl,
have the privilege of examining into tbs
merits of a controversy which, to them, hai
been not a little mysterious from the begin,
ming. They are gratihsd that the defenst
of Gen. Fremont has been published. TIL
old Anglo Saxon love of g fair play" is no
no nearly obliterated in our people as Il
induce them TO candemn a man on th,
statements, of his enemies. We see no rea
son to regret the qualifications of the docu
ment' and are sorry that its great length
necessarily excludes it from orr columns.
Had FFemones defense failed to substan
'iat both the integrity and proprety of hi
Administration of the affairs of the West
ern Department, his enemies would hay
found no fault with its publication. 1t
in the conclusiveness Of the facts published
and the complete manner in which the
vindicate the military sagacity Of the maj
that occasions their chief source Of troubl
The publication of the. defence is pr.
tense; the true ground of complaint is II
defense itself Until the adversaries