Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-07-05
THE PATHFINDER.
A Talk With Genera John c. Fremont on
Other Ttmes.

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worlds financial artery, an elderly man
may be seen every day edging his way
through the crowds of men, some of
whom turn to look at him. Occasional
ly hat is lifted and the elderly returns
the salutation. The recipient of these
attentions is Gen. John c. Fremont,
whose office is close by. The seventy.
one years that he has just completed
have dealt tenderly with him. He walks
with the elasticity and vigor of man
whose life has been confined to but half
a century. His complexion retains the
ruddy glow of earlier years, and his eye
still sparkles with its old time brilliancv.
The familiar, full, but thin, beard and
mus tache and his once raven, curly hair
have turned snowy white, but his face
is as thoughtful, his voice as musical and
his manner as entangling as in the days
of his youth when he was prominent in
the affairs of the nation. The career of
Gen. Fremont affords striking illus
tration how the brilliant intellect, the
indefatigable worker and the man of
intrepidity often fails to achieve that
prominence which so frequently attaches
to the less meritorious and less deserv-
ing of public alteration.
"Of the practical benefits arising from
your expeditions | presume there is no
doubt"
"None at all. We bore in mind this
fact that the region through which we
passed would thereafter be trodden by
thousands of newcomers 1t was neces-
sary that those for whose benefit we led
the way should have an abundance of
grass, wood and water. In our progress
we accordingly kept sort of atlas or
map ON which we marked the various
roads and noted where these three es-
sentials could be found. This important
information was subsequently printed
and distributed by Congress. Only last
month / received an application for a
volume containing this information, but
/ presume they are long since out of
print. These facts assure us that the
work of these explorations must have
been of immense benefit to mankind"
"Have the developments of the coun-
try west of the Mississippi surpassed
what you looked for many years ago."
''The changes have been something
wonderful, of course. 1t was plain to
see that the acquisition of California,
however. led to the necessity of connect
ing that country with the east"
''Have you ever regretted your with
drawal as a presidential candidate in
I8642"
"No. 1t was a well-considered move
ment. 1t became quite evident, as the
campaign progressed, that if both Mr..
Lincoln and myselfremained in the field
Gen. Mcclellan would be elected presi-
dent. Zachariah Chandler, of Michigan,
was then sent to New York to meet me
at the request of President Lincoln, and
an interview took place between us in
the office of David Dudley Field, of this
city. Mr. Chandler's proposition was,
that in the interest of the republican
party | should withdraw from the field,
and / was promised certain advantages
If consented"
did Mr.. Chandler speak for President
Lincoln?"
Yes, for Mr.. Lincoln personally. i
took few days to consider the PROPOSE
ton and then withdrew from the field
in according with Mr.. Chandler's sugges-
ton"
DO you think now that Mcclellan
would have carried the election had you
not withdrawn"
81 have not the slightest doubt of it,"
"What intercourse did you hold with
Gen. Grant during the war;"
while | was in command at st. Louis
Grant, who had been appointed briga-
dier general, called upon me there with
the request to be given q command. /
assigned him to Cairo, where he relieved
General Prentiss. ] had heard some
thing of Grant and what / knew was sat
isfactory. entertained a high opinion
of him. He has the essential qualities
of great general"
"Do you know Gen. Sherman"
"He too visited me at st. Louis during
the early part of the war. | had met
him in California in early years."
A bill is now before congres proposing
to place Gen. Fremont on the retired list
of the army as major-general. Senator
Sherman, of Ohio, and Representative
Dorsheimer, of New York, have charge
of it and Gen. Fremont's friends are en-
ergetic in efforts for its passage. Gen.
Fremont is silent on the subject of poll
tics and cannot be induced to talk in
that direction. When asked regarding
the stability of the republican party, he
replied: "My fealty to the republican
party is best shown by my withdrawal
as a presidential candidate in 1864. THIS
/ did in the interests of the party at that
time, and l am still in hearty accord
with it,
THE GENERAL AT HOME.
Gen. Fremont resides on Staten Island.
Here on the pretty ocean gem the old
hero is passing the closing days of his
eventfuf career in quiet and content
ment. By his side is the charming and
accomplished partener with whom he
has happily journeyed for forty-three
wears. and whose individual history is,
| too, one of romantic interest TO all Amer
leans. From the windows Of his peace.
| full home the Pathfinder views the out
lines of the great rearing city in the dis