Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-03-27

at the capital and with the influence WELD
attention to western interests, or compfi-
ance with the western acquisitions. But
Fremont, with troops constantly ordered
away from him. with a plentiful lack of
guns. with credit impaired. if not ruined,
by the possibility of his removal. (and
since then these creditors have seen their
claims delayed for menths, till examined
by board of commissioners, and even
still unpaid. was expected to organize
victory and triumph over every adverse
circumstance.
But let us look further. anil see what
was the condition of affairs when Price
marched upon Lexington. Why, sir a,
the very time when Price. with from fifteen
to seventeen thousand men was threaten
ing Lexington. McCulloch was threaten
ing Rolla and Jefferson City. Hardee was
threatening Ironton, in southwest Missouri.
and Polk and Pillow, with number oi
troops. estimated at twenty to twenty-six
thousand, were down at Columbus, threat
ening our inferior forces at Cairo: and in
addition to that, there were the forces ol
jeff. Thompson. Martin Green. and othe,
guerrilla bands; and there were organized
bands of rebels in every county in the
State. The State was heaving and seeth-
ing with insurrection under his feet. and he
had to restore it to its loyalty. All this
Fremont had to encounter. with nearly
eighty thousand rebels threatening all
these exposed points. with disloyalists at
their homes. and with an inadequate force
to meet the enemy. Sir, responsibility
was thrown upon him which | would not
to-day take upon my shoulders for the
best office in the gift of the American peo
pie or Of the world.
TBE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
While he was struggling nobly to per.
form his duty. from every side came the
poisoned arrows of calumny. and the ea
parte testimony of the investigating com
mittce Of this House. charging him with
connivance with contractors to plundel
the Treasury. Iregret to have to allude to
their course, for every member of the
committee, l believe and hope. is my per.
sonal friend.
Sir. have learned to look with some
distrust upon er pare testimony. / rec
ollect that when my friend from Ohio,
Mr.. SHERMAN, who now occupies seal
at the other end Of The Capitol. was at the
head of committee sitting in Judgment
upon the then Secretary Of The Navy. Mr..
Toucey. they wrote to Secretary Toucy, as
/ found in reading their report recently.
that they were going to examine into the
live-oak contract and other matters, and
that he would be welcome to come and
listen to the evidence; and subsequently
when they had taken the evidence of eight
witnesses. they had a correct copy Of il
made aud sent it to Secretary Toucey,
with respectful letter. offering to subpens
any witness he might desire to have called
and when subsequent witnesses appeared
before them, they took the same course
This was an example of impartiality to-
wards a political opponent worthy Of ad-
miration and imitation.
But how was it in the case Of Fremont?
l undertake to say. and history proves it.
that while Fremont was out hunting the
enemy, some persons-not the committee.
perhaps, but his enemies in st. Louis--
were hunting up witnesses against him to
have er parfe testimony taken there; and
no sooner was it taken. while he was still
in the face of the foe endea voring to obtain
victory for our arms and periling his life
for his country. synopsis Of these er parte
statements was given by some oneto some
newspaper correspondent AMI sent upon
the wires all over the country. SO as to
poison the public mind against the CON-
mander Of the department OF the West and
assist in achieving his overthrow. Sir. l
think that in common justice. in common
humanity-if there are such things as
justice and humanity--when he return
ed. deposed general. the commit
tee might, if they did not see fit to do
so before, have sent him the adverse evil
dence. which up to this hour they have
never done, and said to him: "Sir. before
you were sent to this department. you were
supposed to be an honest man. but this
testimony clouds your character. 1t was
taken in your absence; if you have any
or defense to offer, we will SUBJ
pena your witnesses and give their testimo-
ny to the world in company with that ta-
ken against you while you were in the
field" But no. the testimony was never
sent to him, and he has never seen it, un-
less some member of the House ere this
has lent him q copy; he has had no official
concerning it.
My friend from Missouri says that FIRE.
mont has not demanded q trial. | wish
to ask him If he did not make charges
again.t Gen. Fremont before the late
Secretary Of War. Mr.. Cameron?
Mr.. BLAIR. of Missouri. Certainly.
Mr.. CoLFAx Then | wish to say this:
that if Secretary Cameron. the Minister Of
War. thought those charges worthy of
it was his duty to have put
Fremont on trial. Iwish 10 ask my friend
now. if he has no. also made charges against
General Fremont before the present Secre-
tary Of War?
Mr.. BLAIR. of Missouri. I preferred
charges against him at the ime. and the
gentleman knows very well that 1 have
preferred no charges since; but know
that the JudgeAdvocate has preferred char
ges since.
NJ. CorFAx. Then. il the present Sec-
retary of War deems them worthy of in
vestigation, it is his duty to orler trial.
General Fremont has the same right as
the meanest and wickedest man in the