New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS
vrMoJRs OF GENERAL FREMONT.

PM
,,.rs Rc,,ord. Clarke 4 Co. have distributed
o.;r,sn sheets and illustrations Of the forthcom-
g. Memoirs of NV Life. by John &. Fremont"
nom which aGrTd idea OF the scope ana character
NJ the work >, DO derived. The book VIII DC pup
,;sbed in sumptuous quarto form, with numerous
.tcel plates colored maps. and nearly two hupdreo
vood- cuts all the illustrations being hew' sn"
taken from sketches and daguerreotvpes m"'o
during the expeditions 10 which they REFER mess
drawings have peculiar interest as the most iaitn-
full pctures of a vast region OF our country "n''"
only forty years ago was realm OF mystery ""'
romance. A part of it is still a mountain Wider
ness: most Of 1t has been transformed as II ny
magic. and is covered with fertile farms All" nv"
mining town.. But the story of the hrst exp'ora
Zion. f the Rocky Mountains and tie lands peyo no
Them beoncs to the most exciting chapter oil Ameri-
ran adventure General Fremonts narratives "eio
read with extraordinary avidity on their n's' "P
pearance and have always held distre '"eu
Mace in the literature of pioneer travel lhey VIII
M Y appcal to new generation with new al"
ne ,aps hardly inferior attractiveness when inc
ci, ,:zation of which they were the prophecies mas
be, me history and the forecasts Vi 'no "'"
have been amply fulfilled.
One of the most important parts OF freihon's
r;oneer work was connected with the conquest OF
california There are circumstances OF this aialr
which have always been involved in secrecy ME-
Royce discussed them pretty fully In his recent his
tory OF California in the " American ''o""'o"-
wealtbs series, but General Fromonts story mas
vet 10 be told and curious disclosures NAV perhaps
now be made. There is some reason TO believe that
in fomentng and assisting an insurrecton OF Amer
lean settlers against the Mexican government
while we were still at peace with Mexico, Fremont
was acting in accord with what he knew to he the
nrivate desires of the President and Cabinet. ana
30
nv secret dispatches from his father-in-aw. Sena-
Tor Rcntcn The distinguished Missouri statesman
was profoundly impressed with the IDEA of an Eng
rsh intrigue for the possession of California which
IL was necessary to foreStall at almost any cost
and he seems to have found IN the ardent young
explorer q thorough sympathHer III DIS policy
tiopraphcul sketch of Senator Benton. by Mrs.
Fremont accompanies the Memoirs" 1t contains
some significant passages on this interesting SUD-
iect Benton had been close student OF the
careers of Give aud Warren Hastings, and he saw
that the glory of winning for ones country great
rich land and a splendid trade with the East might
be repeated in the New World The opportunity
came when England and America faced each other
on the Pacific Coast Just before the opening OF the
Mexican war. 1.-TWO men were in position to use
deciding influence and bo.h understood the crls
and each other my father in WashInC on with his
established power in tie Senate Nj. Fremont on
the ground where the decisive blow must he given"
AZ the first standard bearer of the Rrpdbhcan
party in a National campaign, and a leader in the
last stages of the ant-slavcry contest General
Fremont's political carer Was brilliant and import
mt while his military history duriug the Rebellion
has an interest even greater than that which be-
longs intrinsIcally to the battles and movements
for which lie was responsible. IL we say that his
whole life in all its aspects, has been sensational
we mean no disparagement; but it happens that
partly by accident and largely through his temrer
ament his actions have always IMPRESSED the pop
ular Imagination. The" Memoirs" of snch man.
apart from theiI value in American history. and
their lesson to ambito and patriotic youth. ought
10 have the absorbing interest of "A romance.