New-York tribune., 1873-03-15
A CARD FROM GEN. FREMONT
COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE CHARGES
AGAINST HIM

COULD REACH FRANCE
70 IA, EdiTor or The Tribune.
SIR: The attention Of the public has been vehe-
rrestlv called to proceedings against me now pend
ing in French Court. This compels me to ask
attention to some statements which must necessarily
be brief to keep within the space can properly ask
from the newspapers. At the same time it is diff
cult with Justice to myself to treat justly in this way
the transactions of several years and meet the loose
comprehensive, and ignorant charges made against
me- am obliged TO say against me" for the reason
that although there are many Others against whom
the action is pending and all Of these French clti-
zens my name was the only one given to the puDnc'
These charges are, in effect 1l Thatthe Memphis,
El Paso and Pacific Railroad Company represented
fraudulent enterprise and that its securities wore
consequently worthless (2) that fraudulent misreP
resentations used to effect the sale OF tnese
curities in France t3 and that l, as PRESIDENT Oh
tb road concerned in and responsible for these
transaotions. Cable dispatches TO our newspapers
further saw that when cited to answer before the
French Court failed to appear. In making me the
prominent figure on which to throw all responslOii
;tv the articles of accusation style me the President
of the road was not President of the road until
Jan l. 1870 These transactions were In the SpTing
of 1869 No summons has been sent me
10 appear before the tribunal; all my knowledge re-
eardng the trial comes from private and wholly un
OflClal sources. Inc aCCuStAlOun uVN OOAVAO eAiN
Court were published and violently agtated in the
Paris newspapers in 1862 Immediately following the
placing of the Company's bonds on the French mar
ket in March. In June went to Paris, and during
the four months remained there / set out in pub
lished letters pamphlets, and newspapers, the char
acter and conditions of the Memphis-Eli Paso Com
pany and of its securities and actions we're brought
against the newspapers and individuals most active
in attacking the Company.
Again three iyears ago, these accusations were
brought before the Senate by the Committee on
Pacific Railroads with the greatest weight that
could be given them. The Chairman of the Com
mittee, Mr. Howard of Michigan Republican, was
fully on the side Of the accusers, openly aided by
the American Legation at Paris, and the case Occu-
pied the attention Of the Senate for several months
The question was finally closed the passage in the
Senate of the Texas Pacific Railroad bithe contin-
uation of the Memphis-El PasO-by debate which
continued three evenings, going late into the night
The debate was on the direct proposition by Mr..
Howard that my name should be struck from the
list of corporators in my own measure, upon the
ground that the Memphis and FL Paso Company, of
which was then President, had injured American
credit abroad The ground taken in opposition to
Mr. Howard was that the charges against me were
malicious and unsustained, and that my name should
not only remain on the list, but be placed at its
head And on this issue was sustained by the
nearly unanimous vote of the Senate. Following
the searching investigation of the session. this unan-
imous approving vote of the Senate hold one of
the most valued hOnOTs of my life.
These attacks were made in way l could meet,
aud they failed whenever they were brought TO the
test of investigation They did not prevent the con-
summation of the Southern Pacific Railroad meas
ures. Congress passed the charter by an almost
unanimous vote notwithstanding the most elaborate
and assaults az a time when railway
grants were scrutinized with the utmost possible
severity, and after every fact connected with this
measure had been fully ventilated.
Last Fall learned from private sources that an
action was to be brought at before the
French criminal courts against certain French cti-
Zens who had been engaged for several years. from
1867 to 1859, in negotiating the COmpany's bonds;
and that it was intended to involve me in
these proceedings friend went for me
immediately t. Paris to investigate, and take what
ever steps might be necessary and he engaged most
eminent counsel for the purpose. NJ. AllOn, the
counsel engaged after inquiry in the proper quarter
asoertained from authority that the would not
be taken up until after the arrival of of the chief
persons complained against, who was expected to
reach Paris in December. and could then be nterrO
gated. NJ. AOn was positive in his opinion that no
proceedings cOuld be taken against me without due
notice and the case was left in his care with the
understanding that all notices and information that
might concern me should be regularly sent TO me.
This was in November.
On February the Washington letter of leading
New-York journal contained notice. conspicuOusly
headed by my name and given as reliably informed
from the French Legation" to the effect that myself
and others had been indicted, and were to be tired
before a criminal court that " Gen. Fremont ,couH
be condemned By default TO appear :" but that the law
J, 10 f,a
gramme has been carried out. have not been nOti-
fed and have been condemned by default for fail
ing TO appear. But up to this time my counsel in
Paris had been unable to obtain any information.
On the 18th of February received from NJ. Allon
two cabegrams. From the first learned that had
been cited to appear before the French tribunal on
the Goth Of the month; the second said the had
been postponed six days, namely. to the 4th of
March. But no notification from the court was
sent me and, but for the fact of having engaged
counsel should have been without informa-
ton AS quickly as could be prepared sent to NJ.
Allon to lay before the Court sworn statement of
my connection with the Memphis. Ell Paso and
Pacific road together with nearly 800 letters from
the persons engaged in negotiating the bonds These
papers did not reach Paris until the day after the
opening of the Court when was condemned for
nOn-appearance as had been previously announced.
On the 5th of March received from NJ. Allon
letter inclosing the first information he had been
able to obtain and synopsis abridgement of the
articles of accusation against me- NJ. Allon, in his
letter TO me, says:
The charges (aete dGceusdton) are very severe and
the whole burden OF them is thrown upon you. The
only Just been able TO get knowledge Of the docu
nents It 10 impossible not to recognize the gravity Of
the affair. IL begins 10 preOccupy the public mind. Will
you attempt 10 come 70 answer the accusation You