Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-03-05

Interesting Letter from GenertI Fremont.
The following letter of Gen. Fremont is
found in German papers, aud is to Mi.
Gen Schenck, chairman Of the House Mill
tary Committee.
New YoRK, January, 1864.
GENERAL-Tbe condensed newspaper re-.
ports OF the House proceedings 10 relation
to unemployed officers place me iu a posi-.
lon which am not willing to occupy with.
out explanation.
need hardly say to you that it is not
by my own wish that | have been unem
ployed for the past sixteen months. lie
quesled TO be relieved from my command in
the Army of Virginia because | regarded
the order WHICH reduced me 10 serve under
GeD Pope as most unmerited insult.
1t was in the discretion of the President
TO refuse or grant my request The grant.
ing OF the request simply implied transfer
TO other duty, aud was not TO be taken with
a penalty attached. That neither the Pres.
ident nor the Secretary of war SO regarded
my conduct, il would be sufficient to men.
ton the repeated assurances ! have receiy
ed from both they we're endeavoring TO give
me command as soon as it could be dope;
and the additional fact that about the close
of the last Congress, q highly important
command was exp essly arranged for pe by
the Secreta of War Tue command Itself
aud my designation to it, received the ap
probation OF the President, but it was fnul.
ly given to another tffcer.
Under The condition, therefore, of await.
ing orders, lave reasonably been desirous
To retain against the contingency of enter
lug immediately upon service, small NUN
Der of useful officers upon whose tried abili
ty | could rely for any emergency. Of
this number several have the experience o!
many years in their profession. From the
beginning of the war they have been in our
service, aud left comfortable homes and sue
cessful business to engage iu in. The same
patriotic motives which led them 70 enter
service naturally impeled them to wish TO
continue 10 it.
1t has not been pleasant for them to eat
he bread of idleness, and they have occI.
sionally felt it almost duty TO resign; but
they have respected my request to remain,
III the hope OF liualIy going into active SER
vice As respects their pay reduced as 1t
is by absence from duty, it is barely suffi
cient for The support Of lhemselve sand fami-
lies. l have not thought this u severe tax
upon the State bearing in mind the fuct
that they have shed their blood or exposed
their llyes for it, aud ut the game time have
rendered it distinguished and valuable ser
vice, aud have been always ready to do it
again
AS regards my pay, I think it right to
say since that question has been raised,
that since the close OF the last session OF
Congress, have considered it a fund to be
applied where it might alleViale distress re
spltng f,om the war, and it has been used
accordingly. haye regularly drawn it
because consider it some hiug belonging
with my commission, and | do not wish b1
any neglect to acquiesce in my position O
forced retirement from army duties Bn'
it has merely passed through my hands
back to he people from whom | received
it; and this use of it think | have the
right to make. Resp ectfqlIy, Your obedi
ent servant,
J.C FREMONT, Major General, U. S. A.
To the Honorable Major General RoRERT SCIENCE Chair
| Military Committee.