The Placer herald., 1862-03-29
From the S. +. Bulletin, March 18Th.
FREMONT'S OLD RECORD CLOSED.

Gen. Fremont has been given a new command
one that stretches from the right wing of McClel-
lan's lines to the left wing of Halleck's. How he
got it we are not told, still it is easy enough to
guess. With all his recklessness, he was careful
to see how the tide was setting and to ride with it
at the first of the flood. He caught up the anti
slavery cry of the Northeast, and rang ii out off
cially. Without consulting the authorities that
appointed him. in defiance of their instructions,
ignoring slow constitutional processes, he announ-
ced himself the champion of those who fought not
for Union, but for Emancipation. That step taken
all was right with him. If he should succeed as q
military commander. he was hero; if he failed,
he would he martyr to the ancient fOgies who
still clung to the antiquatcd provisions of the Con-
stitutiOn. He allows himself to be surrounded by
the greatest set of thieves out of Jail; notable
swindlers from all the regions locked to his head
quarters. From the width of "a continent the vul-
lures smelt the plumber that was inevitable, and
darkened all the highways with their flight
! If Fremont had been equal to the emergency he
| would have turned them all away. TO the false
friends and partners of his former days he would
have said: This is not your time. Now am to
serve my cOuntry-Our old bargains don t hold in
such times as these" But he was not equal to
that bold course-perbaps no one, so tied as he
has been for years. would have been equal to it,
and in consequence he was ruined. But because
he Was the unscrupulOus representative of a prin-
cplc he was not entirely ruined, and new trial
is vouchsaicd him within four months of the time
when he was removed in disgrace from the De-
partmcnt Of the West, and his command given to
another from his own State. who would not scorn
to take advice of his superiors in command, nor
conduct the war without some small reference to
its objects and avowed end
At this distance from the Capital it is mpossi-
bic for US to divine all the motives of the Govern
ment in restoring to Fremont command thou gh
to tell the truth, it is probable that we know
about as much of them as those do in Washin gton
who are not admitted to the secrets of the Cab-
net 1t is possible that the Department over
which he is placed, though SO broad in extent, is
really one in which he will have no fighting to do,
and what is still more to the point, no contracts
to make.
To-day we give ourselves to the task of bury
ing some of the reminders of Fremont's old Ca
reer that there may be no evil odors around, as
he starts out on his new career.
THE FoRTIFICATI0Ns OF ST. LOUIS.
The fortifcation of st. Louis was notable job.
How it was done, what was paid for it, who got
the pay and how economically all managed,
is set down at length in the Van Wyck report to
the House Of Representatives. Snatches Of the
story, items of the bills, informal and unofficial
and often contradictory accounts of the affair
have been offered through the press to the public
but the Committees report tells il all rs it was
told to them under oath. 1t is not agreeable
reading. and yet it is profitable Some great men
act on this satanic principle-"Let us take care
of our enemics-our friends will take care of us;'
but Cen Fremont holds different doctrine; he
takes care of his friends. and treats them with
generous confidence" that is quite cheering in
this cold selfish world.
Whether there was any military necessity for
the erection Of Notifications about st. Louis is
matter not discussed by the Committee General
Curtis testified that he saw no cXigencies that re-
quircd their erection. The history tf affairs in
CHI that tb.ub bnv ham upTn ncn
But Gen. Fremont ordered them built ten in mum
Der. forming Il Gordon around the city AMI within
it's suburbs. The general supcrv sion Of their con-
struction was given to Major Kappncr but few or
none attached to the typographical or engineer
ing service of the United States were employed
under him. The first five forts were built by
Major Kappner by day work. and cost 100000;
the remainder were commenced and in progress
under the same superintendent, whcn on the 25th
Of September, a contract was made between Gen.
McKinistry (acting under Fremont's orders) and
E. l.. Beard. for the construction of all the for
tifcations (includng the five already completely
Beard gave no security, either in the shape of q
bond or by consent to having a part of the money
retained, as it is the Governments custom to
quire.
The rates of construction were for excavations
As cents; for earth embankments 55 cents; for
puddle earth 80 cents per cubic yard; for sodding
81 SO per yard; for heaving, 81 per square yard;
gallon; for lumber 500 per 900 feet for roof
ing 81 SO per square of 100 feet. Ex-Mayor
Winner, of St. Louis, testified that good price
would have been Is cents yard for excavations,
cmbankments and sodding Curtis testified that
the price agreed to be paid Beard was at least
double the cost of the work. Kappner, after
building five Of the forts. said the work could be
done for 80 cents-where Boards contract allow
ed 81 60. The paving. which Beard got 81
yard for, he said ought to cost or 10 cents
The cisterns that Beard got rs cents per cubic
gallon for, he thought worth 2 II cents. The
lumber that Beard was to have 500 per 900
feet for could be had for S35 or $40. Kappner's
five fort. cost OOOO. They were larger than
those Beard built and naturally should have cost
more.
Now observe how much Beard was paid and
when. The contract was made September 25th.
The first payment was made August 29th, the
second, September I'd, the third, September 5th,
the fourth, September 9th, and by the time the
contract was made, $l5l 900 were paid on the
contract. All but the first $4,000 of this was
paid on Fremont's personal orders. By the 3rd
of October Fremont had ordered $l85, 900 paid
to Beard. On the l4th of October Secretary
Came eron ordered the works stopped, and that no
more money be paid on their account. After
Fremont received this order, he ordered 100000
more to be paid to Beard, the fertilization con-
struction account making total of $246,OOO. of
which $l71 900 was actually paid-for works that
should nave COST Dut SOO,OUU, ana WHICH tue ~
S. Engineers deemed utterly unnecessary and
useless.
To complete the measure of the wickedness of
these transactions, it is only necessary to add that
the German laborers under Major Kappner, who
built the first five forts by days work, were paid
but SIS 800 of their wages, leaving over $4,000
still their due. Has Secretary Stanton no legal
ipecac powerful enough to make Beard disgorge!
Is it not pleasant to remember that Fremont is still
the idol of party at the North, and that the
Government, overwhelmed with applications to
give him new command, succumbs at last. and
has given him one?
THE MULE AND HORSE SwINDLEs.
In the purchase of mules and horses in Missouri.
the Government seems to have paid, without fail,
A. ,,,ov;rour, nrions Those were for miles and