Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-08

Iof weapons. Certain 1t was that his proclaim
tons did not help the enemy as mnch as his 9.
posed and isolated posts at Lexington and els
where. His proclamations did not injure q
Administration as much as single purchase {
: worthless arms and the erection Of uselel
i earthworks He (Blair) did not believe tha
0 Gen. Fremont was authorized to publish hi
: statement, which was extraordinary In its char
= acter.
Mr.. Gooch (member of the committee on th
7 Conduct of the War;, said that Gen. Fremon
having presented large number Of documents
was requested by the committee to prepare
concise statement as to the administration o
affairs 10 his department, which he Fremont
did at subsequent period. Gen. Fremont agail
appeared before the committee, and was ques
toned. When he was about TO leave the room
he was requested not to give information "a
anybody outside, of what he had related 20 the
committee. He (Gooch) understood Gen. Fre-
mont to acquesce in this request, as he had In
Gil others made by the committee. He (Gooch)
only wished to add that the publication was
made without the knowledge and against the
consent of the committee.
Mr.. Blair-Was it all published?
Mr. Gooch-Hs (Fremont's) statements and
documents, and not the portion In response to
the inquiries Of the committee
Ahls DihiE bhlu rFouOutb bbhsOmOuV Wup up
extraordinary as the manner In which 1t found
its way into print. 1t was an apology for disas-
ter and defeat, and ingeniously the suppression
OF important facts and suggestions OF Others,
which never existed. In this he shows he is
better apologist for defeat than General to
achieve victories. fcH
Mr.. Blair proceeded to speak Of his early
friendship for Fremont He now had no private
griefs, and 1t was only for the reason that Fre
mont was found incompetent for his position
that be recommended his removal. He had
acted from consideration1of public duty. He
then spoke at length Of the disasters at Spring
field and Lexington, to show that these were at
tributable to Fremont's incompetency. Those
by whom he surrounded himself had settled
themselves down upon us like birds of prey. No
men bore worse character than those who were
fremont's familiars; of course there are hon
orable exceptions. No greater slander was ut.
tered by any man than that at the time Fremont
went to st. Louis, 1t was rebellious city. The
declaration of martial law was therefore super. |
induced by his apprehension Of imaginary dan |
ger. BE- f-srut 4r.1s
Mr.. Blair also examined Fremont's contracts |
and other transactions. He spoke for about two |
hours--the time having by unanimous consent |
been extended.
Mr.. Cofax said, while ne differed with the |
Administration which he assisted in superced- |
ing Gen. Fremont, he desired to have il under |
stood that, no matter whom the Administration |
put up or pulled down, he would sustain 1t with |
all his heart and soul and strength of mind |
against rebels in arms. He aLprehended that
i would hereafter appear that the gentleman's
Blaif's) feelings had perverted his judgment.
lie knew that all men were fallible. Gen. Ere.
mont was impulsve and impetuous, and he re.
GREETED that Fremont had suffered the publica-
ton to which reference was made, with all the
obloquy upon him, with his reticence for six
months. He (Colfax) regretted the publication
d this time; the future would have done him
Justice. ....
He could say this much for Gen. Fremont
He was the only Major General who had gone
out with his troops, away from his headouar.
ters, 10 pursuit of the enemy, over field, val
ley and plain. No mau could believe the as. |
seriionsof the gentleman from Missouri, that
Fremont was timid man. He did not approve
General Fremont's st. Louis contracts. He
paid teo much for them; but such faults were
net confined to General Fremont, which he
(Colfax) briefly showed. He concurred in
The statement of Mr.. Blair, that St. Louis
was loyal city, for when, after Gen. Fremont
was relieved from his command and proceeded
to that city, the people Aocked by tens of thous-
ands to welcome him. st. Louis then proved /
lts loyalty. 'tthfa ..lr'
q Mr., Colfax, in further reply to Mr.. Blair,
defended Gen. Fremon.'s military movements.
and noticed the remark of the gentleman from
Missouri, that the one hundred days of Gen
Fl emont in that state were saddest days Of all.
Oh! no, said Mr.. Calfax, il was sadder day
when Gen. Fremont was deposed. When the /
troops took up their line of march back to the
settlements from the mountain of confidence
and hope, they fell into the valley of despond-
ency, aud if Gen. Fremont had not been super
seded the army would have gone on.
Mr.. Colfax concluded by saying that while
Fremont was hunting the rebels, his enemies In
81. Louis were hunting evidence to overwhelm
him. As the gentleman from Missouri had
preferred charges against Fremont, it was the
duty Of the Secretary Of War to put him on bis
defense The meanest man in the world is en-
titled to fair hearing.
The House adjourned till evening,