The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-06
Letters from Nrs. SWisshelss

The St. Cloud Democrat, OF the 25th,
contains two long letters from Mrs. SwIts-
HELM, now in Washington. She does not
write in the best OF spirits. She says
"that every hall and church is heFmetical-
ly sealed against every lecturer suspected
of any opposition to the pecpaiar institu-
tion," and doubts elf it's spirit was ever
more rampant in the Capital than it is to-
day." She also says the President 6 shows
no confidence. in the enlistment of oolored
soldiers, " and he said to Western Re-
publican lately: "But if lose as many
white men from the Army of Virginia as
1 can enlist black men, will it pay?" All
the Abolition measures, she says, are a
dead letter. The following anecdote she
relates of the President:
Secession is at premium here in the
capital, and when committees wait upon
the President to urge strong measures, he
tells them story. A delegation waited
on him some time ago on important busi-
ness, and he told them four anecdotes
A Western Senator visited him on official
business, and reciprocated by telling an an
ecdote the President had not before heard.
After he rose to leave, Mr.. Lincoln re-
marked: "Wait a moment; want you
to give me the notes of that story" The
notes were given, carefully taken down,
and filed away on his desk.
She chad an appointment to go with
Senator WILKINSON to see the President"
and met coming out Secretary STANTON
and Gen. FREMONT Of Mr.. STANTON, she
says: Il: !.
His cordial greeting was very pleasant.
l had called at the War Department yes
terday, and, finding him locked in his
office, left my card and he warmly as
sured me that when | wished to see him
had but to call, as my card would be sure
to come in, and he would be glad to see
me; all of which was said with an air of
more than politeness, for he really appears
to have distinct and pleasant remem-
brance of the time when he was young
lawyer, unknown to fame, and success
full editor, when he made it a point to call
at my Office, and talk earnestly for an hour
over the object of my labors at that time,
viz: securing the property rights Of mar
ried women.
The following is the account she gives
of her introduction to Gen. Fremont:
During the few moments we talked, his
companion, whom had not noticed, stood
looking on, and Judge of my surprise when
Mr.. Wilkinson presented me to General
Fremont! Well, l shall never forget that
meeting, or the general hand-clasp with
which | was received as one he had "read
about General Fremont, unlike Mr..
Stanton, is thin and looks anxious. His
hair and beard are quite gray, and the
beard cut until about an inch long. He is
of medium size, with sinewy muscles His
keen gray eyes are tempered with a look
of deep earnestness, almost amounting to
sadness; and his dress so simple one
might pass him for Second Lieutenant
Learning my business here, the General
promptly proposed calling on me that wc
might have longer time to talk Of our In
dian troubles; but, dear me, it took my
breath away to think of him, whom have
so long looked to as the future savior II
our country, calling on such poor, little,
obscure laborer in the good cause as my
self. | forgot for the moment that it was
his interest in Minnesota, in our great
Northwest, which prompted the sugges-
ton, and told him, with grasp, and l fear
almost rudely, that he must not call on me,
that he was needed elsewhere. Yet |
would not have Minnesota forget this evil
dence OF his interest in her welfare. His
enemes-the enemies of the Republic
have been most maliciously persistent in
representing him as inaccessible even to
the officers of his own army, as adopting
aristocratic, if not princely, airs of exclu-
siveness; and his proposal to call on a poor
frontier editor, that he might learn more
of the wrongs of our neglected and scat
tered people, struck me as queer evil
dence of inaccessibility. May the good
Lord prosper him; for have always felt
that he is the Moses who is to lead this
people out OF the wilderness.
Attempt to Shoot Gen. Banks.