Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-08-12
The Fremont MOvement...Its Real Oh.
ject and Purpose.

ject and Purpose.
The following article we commend to
the consideration of every friend of the
Union, coming, as it does, from paper
which has vigorously opposed the pres
ent Administration with an ability un-
equalled by any public journal in the
country, and which has encouraged the
Fremont movement, hoping thereby to
place in the Presidential chair more
radical man than Mr. Lincoln. If there
be Fremont man, outside Of the Cop
perhead party, in this section of coun-
try, we ask him to read the opinion of
friend to the Fremont movement:
We regret to see that the movement in favor
of General Fremont, which 1t was hoped would
have secured good national candidate from the
Democratic party has, through the lmprudence
of its orators and organs, resolved Itself into
mere auxiliary agency to the nomination OF Nc
Clelian. The elements which originally rallied
round Fremont, and which fashioned the plat
form subsequently modified at Cleveland, was an
earnest, ardent, liberty-lOving, rebei-hating ee-
ment, and which, obeying these instincts was
Copperheadism or that exhibited the slightest
indication Of conservative proclivity. Indeed,
it was the restive hostility of ardent men to Mr.
LincOlns retention of pro-slavery generals, and
the suspicion that he was disposed to compro-
vigor to this organization of the radical Democ-
racy. The Fremont movement was, in short, the
fartherest from copperheadism or retrogressiOn,
of any political formation known to the coun-
try; and yet strangely enough, We now find 1t in
practical alliance with the Copperhead tacticians
and combining with them, actively, in restoring
their most perniciOus representatives to popular
We feel quite sure that Gen. Fremont never
contemplated the performance of such a role as
this, and equally sure he is not yet aware OF its
character and tendency nevertheless, no intel
iigent outside observer can fail to perceive that
he and his movement have been appropriated
by the Copperheads, and are skillfully directed
in behalf OF reactionary, If not disloyal candi-
dates. The unanimous praise bestowed by the
opposition journals upon Gen. Fremonts letter
ii acceptance, decoyed his orators into respon-
sve laudations of Mcclellan. BrownsOn led Off
in this unworthy toadyism, at the ratification
meeting in this city; Copperhead. orators, pure
and simple, were then projected upon hotel bal
comics, to return the compliment in favor of FIRE.
mont and the cheers which mingled the names
of the military craw-fish and the Pathfinder,
welded the secondary into the prevailing metal
From that hour the power of Fremont to make
a vigorous challenge of Lincon's policy and Cab
met passed away; while any chance of his re-
ceiving the Chicago nomination became too re-
| mote for calculation. This latter fact though
| concealed for time from his volatile supporters
to that artful opposition from the first and
their whole object was, to so engineer this ap-
| parent reaction in favor OF Mcclellan as to Sc
Every one who has carefully looked on, can
| trace the proofs of this performance. When the
/
| of July to the 18th OF August, it was universally
conceded that Little Macs chances for a nOmi-
| nation We're finally disposed Of BY common
consentXalways excepting the Belmont Barlow
clique, who own McClellan,) even the Copper
| heads themselves began to look around for a new
candidate, and in the sudden perturbation there
seemed, to the unskillful, to be a possible ac-
ceptance of Fremont. 1t was then that the ora
| tors and the organs OF the Cleveland movement
of the opposition, and the result was that Nc
Clellan, being thus partially lifted from de-
deemed he would get another hearing, was
thought by his party to be sufficiently restored
to popularity tone united on again in August.
had been virtually abandoned as candidate,
| by the adjournment of the convention which
was prepared to nominate him on the 4th of
July, has been coming back upon his party dur
ing the last three weeks like four-miler and
already leads by a commanding distance toward
chance of a nomination from the Chicago Con-
vention, it is reduced to an absurdity and it is
to be hoped he will perceive this fact in time to
prevent such calamity as the nomination of
Mcclellan. It should be sufficient to alarm him
| that his cause has thus early been subjected to
the calamity OfBrOwnSOn as its leader; while
the objects of that leader are Enthusiastically fore
shadowed by the elaborate defense made by him
in his last review, OF the traitor Fitz John
Porter.
It is no reflection on .Fremont's sagacity that
he has not yet detected the bearing which his
imprudent or cOnniving orators have given to
his movement; but his aroused intelligence can
not fail to see it now and he has yet plenty of
margin 10 NlnOlCtlVe 1OlUy OI his
letter, that his main object is not to advance
himself, but to secure worthy Administration
to the country. To use an expressive, though a
common. phrase, he has not the ghost of
chance for the Chicago nomination and the
present attitude of his organization is simply
that of an auxiliary to the advancement of Nc
Clellan. The worst enemy Gen. Fremoct has on
earth would not venture to assume that such a
role is worthy his adoption and performance.
% After the expiration of the time
allotted for the burning of the fuse at
Petersburg without an explosion, half
an hour was consumed in finding man
willing to volunteer to enter the mine,
at the risk of being buried alive, to find
out the difficulty. A gallant fellow,
whose name is not recorded, finally
offered, followed upthe fuse till he found
the damp spot, relighted it, and had just
time to escape before the explosion.
There are but three men in Cincinnati
who are millionaires. Ten are worth
a half million, and twenty-three are
taxed for $3.50, 900.