Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-04-24
Major General Fremont. int

Major General Fremont. ''"
s Our readers will bear, us witness that W
: were among those who approved the remoya
$ of Gen. Fremont from the command of tn
+ fIDepartment Of the West. From the evidenc
+ before US, we then thought him one of the in
competents. That opinion was based upo,
the reported facts and conclusions of tn
! committee on the Conduct of the War. W.
, have, however, always been ready to do tina
officer the justice of believing and saying tina
he was peculiarly qualified for the work o
organizing q great and enthusiastic army
Thousands promptly rallied around his magi,
name, whose services the Government woule
have been deprived of, for time at least
That he had a highs and responsible trust com
mitted to his charge greater than that com
mitted to any other department were
well apprised. That he organized splendid
army - clothed, armed and equipped it with
remarkable energy, and stamped his impress
of zeal and earnestness upon the hearts of his
brave men, we can never overlook, Neither
can we forget the building and equipment Of
that river navy that has shed such imperish-
able glory upon its brave tars, designed and
planned by the earnest Pathfinder. That he
did not remain to see the full fruition of all
his hopes, and participate in the glorious
achievements wrought within his department
we have always regretted. We bowed, how
ever, to the decree of the Government, and
recognized its wisdom superior to our own.
We embrace this opportunity to give our
readers the conclusions of the committee on
the Conduct of the War in relation to Gen.
Fremont's administration in the West. '''
The committee say in relation to his pur-
chase Of arms, the department was destitute
Of all kinds of supplies. Some of the arms
designed by General F. for his command were
diverted to the Potomac. That Fremont act.
ed promptly with full powers, and was still
compelled to see his command want for need.
ed supplies. -. .1........
I As to the Notifications about St. Louis
Fremont carried out what Gen. Lyon had be-
fore planned. .., a',..
In regard to reinforcing both Lyon and Null
ligan, the committee discover no evidence Of
any disregard for the public interest, or want
OF energy or inclination upon the part of Free
mont. Troops were collected as soon as could
be done, and they were promptly sent where
the exigencies of the service demanded. The
Government called for his troops to 60 east,
when he was most earnestly engaged in pro-
curing aid for Mulligan. .4..es
As to Western gun boats, Fremont per-
ceived their advantage, and our brilliant VIC
tories in the West will bear enduring testi-
mony as to the correctness of his judgment
in that respect. a- esf .s.. --z b.
The concluding portion of this report we
give al length, which we cannot regard other
than as highly complimentary to one of the
most earnest, energetic, patriotic officers of
the army, and whom We trust may not long
remain idle. H.' :.... ..... t.,, ...
"But that feature of Gen. Fremont's ad.
ministration which attracted the most atten-
ton at the time, and which will ever be most
prominent among the many points of interest
connected with the history of that department,
is his Proclamation of Emancipation What
ever opinions may be entertained in reference
to the time when the policy of emancipation
should have been inaugurated, or by whose
authority it should have been promulgated,
there can be no doubt that Gen. Fremont at
that early day rightly judged in regard to the
most effective means of subduing this rebell-
ion. In proof of that it is only necessary to
refer to the fact that his successor, when
transferred to another department, issued a
proclamation embodying the same principle
And the President, as Commander in Chief
of the army and navy. has applied the same
principle to all the rebelious States, and few
will deny that it must be adhered to until the
last vestige of treason and rebellion is de-
stroyed. .,. =
"The administration of Gen. Fremont was
eminently characterized by earnestness, abili-
ty and the most unquestionable loyalty. In
the exercise of the almost unlimited power
delegated to him, there was no evidence of
any tenderness toward treason, or any failure
to fully assert the dignity and power of the
Government of which he was the representa-
tive. 70 -..- ,,.,..,5 ers. ..
| "The manner in which that power was ex-
ercised was to be judged by the results, and
the policy of continuing him in command was
matter for the authorities above him to de-
termine' . uf rs.s. "a ,sf lH