The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-15
An IMPRESSIVE HUMBUG.
Josiah Royce Contributes : DAM
aging Review Of General
Fremont's Career.
0f Great Capacity to Inspire Ex-
pectation, but Disappointing
i In Performances :.
VI. Royce Pronounces the Pathfinder
Man Of Fictitious Charactsr-Fre-
mont and Mcclellan.

| Josiah Royce contributes from California
@ the current number Of the Atlantic 4
cry damaging review Of the late Genera
3remont's career; damaging because it il
N indictment Of the Intellectual integrity
4 man who was not more distinguished
or his capacity to inspire extravaRant ex'
,ectations than for his incapacity in action
lis failure ever to mako his heroic promise
God by heroic performance.
Hremont's public life was long, extending
rom the administration Of President Van
suren, in 1897, to that of President Cleve-
and, in 1885. The man was ambitious and
ull OF restless activity Of temper. His
Mystical constitution was excellent. He
lever suffered from sickness. He had fine
ye, and charming, courtly manner. He
vas always confident; always self possessed;
ways made his friends believe he had "a
ig thing" or was going to do some great,
ecisive deed, and yet he always disap-
ointed expectation, and from youth to old
60 was ever busy
dropping buckets into empty wells.
And fetching nothing up"
He looked like man of deep purpose.
[e talked like hero, and yet never did
nything but blunder and swagRer, swagger
nd blunder all his days. or, as Mr.. Royce
eat1y puts it, "Gen. Fremont possessed
Il the qualities Of genius. except ability"
Lincoln found HIM the incarnation Of
opeless ineffectiveness and shallow judg-
lent in all important public matters. And
ct 90 imposing and impressive was FIRE.
lont externally in manner and speech on
10 heels of his wretched failure in Mis-
ouri that Gen. Dorsheimer, Of his staff. de-
,ribed him as imam of ceaseless energy in
ction; of dauntless spirit, genius that
.eates armies. His every word suggests
10 depth OF his plans" The plans lead
owhere, but Dorsheimer firmly believed
nat it was tho fault of Fremont's ene-
lies. Had he been granted a few more
ave borne fruit. This is the same kind of
lea that was always made for Mcclellan.
ho had the same captivating manners and
racious demeanor; the same inspiring per
,nality as Fremont. and the same tempera-
rental incapacity to justify the fond hopes
nd expectations of his troops Of friends.
iven the West Point training of Nice lellan,
is Mexican war experience, his opportunity
)r observation at Sabasto pol, Fremont
ould have made just about such record
> did the Caesar of the Chickahominy."
remont, pursuing jackson. was military
ir Fretful Plagiary, while Mcclellan, con-
.ontinR Lee, was always Sir Forcible Fee
! lie.
The men were very much alike in their
,mperamental capacity to inspire hope and
in friends, without ever doing anything to
lstify hope or deserve friends; very much
ike in their capacity to keep their friends
fter failure, by making them believe that
othinR but the intriRues of enemies rob-
I'D them Of supreme success. Thousands
able, intelligent men believe to this day
lat had it not been for "Lincoln and
anton" Fremont would have proved him
Ii q phenomenal military genius in Mis-
.uri; that Mcclellan would have closed the
ar with clap of thunder had Lincoln
aited ten days longer in November, 1862.
he talent Of both these singular men
'emed to lie notso much in doing anything
particular as explaining why they didn't
anything in particular. "When Mr..
incoln removed me was on the eve of a
reat victory over Price, says Fremont.
When Mr.. Lincoln, yielding to Halleck
id Stanton, relieved me ! was about to de-
distance Of McClellan's chat. - 'o
They we're both vain men, always posing
be cheered by somebody; both presump-
lous political generals. Fremont, issuing
ithout consultation with Lincoln, a pre-
AZURE proclamation Of emancipation, and
,fusing to modify it, was nominal soldier
shing for political popularity with the rad
al republicans; but he was not more
decent military figure, than Mcclellan
arning Lincoln by official letter that the
rmy of the Potomac would not endorse
reclamation of emancipation, and con-
antly writing to his democratic friends
efore he had struck blow at Yorktown
iat "the black republican administration
I'D resolved on his ruin before he started,
at he would try to save the country never
leless." Vanity, sentimentality, pom
0sity are written in every line of Mo
lellan's published public and private cor
spondence a. plainly as in that Of Free
ont.
What was the matter with these two men.
amiable and upright in domestic life.
i'd 80 fascinating in their circle Of private
iendship? The trouble was that neither
them possessed that true moral courage
nat stands for the vast distance between a
IAN of superficial "cheek"-a poser and
tetender-and man Of ugly honesty Of
ind and purpose who never poses, never
retends, mover promises recklessly, but al
ays dares to do his best, always does what
dares unf1inchingly up to the gates Of
oath. Lack Of moral courage and ener-
site executive capacity u written all over
70 career OF these men Neither of them.
,uld ever squarely tell the truth. Mo.
attempt to unload his failure upon
inooln, while Fremont. in his de-
ter Invariably lied whom 10 defended
violation OF the neutrality of Cali
'rnia by saying that his 'secret instruc-
ons'' from the government justified his
,tion. These Instructions he first as
Sl1 A. Ca