The morning call., 1893-08-11
PIONEERS.
Bancroft's Criticisms Not
Appreciated.
DEFENDING THE ARGONAUTS.
A History Which 1t Is Claimed by
WeIl-Informed People Is Not
History.


the plains or the perils of long voyage
by sea to reach California have lived 10
see dishonor castupon the names of some
of their illustrious leaders. and to hear
the character OF some OF the men whom
they lvye best maligned in what purports
to be a true history of the State which
they made possible.
And so the pioneers are angry. There
are S2S Of these griZzled veterans still liy-
ing in the State whose names appear on
the records in Pioneer Hall. and every one
Of them feels himself person ally affronted
when he hears of any aspersioDs being
cast upon the names of Fremont. Suffer or
Sloat They resent it with all the dignity
which their position can command.
II greatness in an historian were Judged
solely by The number of volumes which hea
his name, then would Hubert Howe Ban
croft be entitled to place very close to
the father of history himself, bur il is sur
prising that during all the years since the
publication of his third volume of the
History of California" it was not until
very recently that his structures On the
characters Of some of the pioneers were
noticed. Since they have been brought to
light. however, there seems to be revived
interest in the work Of the historian.
The resolutions which were presented
at the last meeting Of the Pioneer Society
condemDing the history as unworthy of
credence as az authority or as source of
information, were based on number of
passages taken from Bancrofrs writing,
among which are the following from
volume third, page I47, and following:
When the authorities very properly ordered
Fremont 10 leave California be fortified a
posItion on Caviar Peak and raised the
OF Han ma. lfch hrD do
as be realized AFTER day or two OF refiec-
ton. in connection with Consul Larkin's
advice and the sight OF military preparations at
San Juan. so be ran away 10 the night
And in speaking Of the Bear flag re-
volt:
which interrupted negotiations for pacific
change of flag, would not have occurred but for
Fremonrs promise OF active support when
needed. Therefore he must be held respon-
sibe not only for the bloodsbed and bitterness
of feeling that attended the conflict of 1S46-47.
but for The much more disastrous stale of
affairs that but for sheer good luck must have
resulted.
at Monterey, though Commodore Sloat
would not adopt his views. Fremont found IN
Stockton a fiIiouster after his own heart.
willing 10 incorporate the Gayilan episode and
the bear flag revolt IN the sacred cause OF The
United States.
Speaking of The controversy which sub
sequently arose between Stockton and
kearney. in which Fremont was loyal TO
Stockton, the author says:
Though technically disobeying military or
GERS Fremont could not consistently WIN the
honor that should prevail among nlibusters,
as well as thieves, abandon his Chief
And Fremont's biography is ended thus:
Fremont did more than any other 10 preV-nt
il, or 10 ,etard the conquest of California.
He is TO De regarded as an adventurer OF mar
Vicious good fortune Tor d man OF moderate
abilities, 10 be made conspicuous before the
worlG: or to enjoy opportunities that could not
be utilized.
The historian also pays his respects to
Commodore Stockton. He spoke of his
whole policy OF conquest, which was to
preface such IN happy results" ''his bius-
tering TRADE against imaginary evils,
''his willingness to Identity criminal re-
volt of vaga bond settlers with legitimate
his og,inion OF the commodore by saying
that his whole reputation as coDqDerOr of
California is as unmerited as that OF the
Pathfinder
The commander of the Bear Flag party
is characterized as "a coarse-grained.
ioud-mouthed, whisky-drinking, quarrel
some fellow, we'll adapted 10 the use that
was made OF him in promoting the filibusi-
ers' schemes"
But it is in bis denunciation Of General
Suffer that the historian touches tender
spot. Suffers memory is especially re-
vered, and the pioneers love to speak OF
him as gentle and generous-heartedm man.
whose memory above all others ought to
have been safe from attack. Says Ban
croft:
He was a German-Swiss trader. impelIsd by
bankruptcy to become an adyeniurer in Amer
lea. None of ihei pioneers have re-.
celyed so much praise from so many sources
few have deserved SO little.
de was but an adventurer from the hrst en-
titled TO no admiration or sympathy. His ca
reer In New Mexico was al best diseredtable
OF p:inciple, of honor. OF respect for
the rights OF others We find but slight trace 10
him. There was no size OF any controversy
that lie would not adopt at the call OF interest
Nationality. friendship, obligation, consistency
counted for little or nothing
There were no classes OF his associates.
hardly an individual with whom he dld not
quarrel. or whom In his anger he cid not
roundly abuse.
His only capital was money borrowed on the
way 10 California or properly obtained on
credit from Californians and Russians after his
ARRIVAL al on pfeiense, more or less Iaise. n
never hesitated 10 open any obligation for the
future without regard TO his ability TO meet 1t,
and he rarely II ever paid debt when due.
Suffers Fort is designated:
An isolated rendezvous for hostile and un.
cOntroilable elements OF vagaboud population
in tie far interior. Though Suffers establish
inent did something TO promote the influx OF
American settlers. 1t was In no sense beneficial
to the interests OF the United states. merely
-
suits.
That Suffer treated immigrants more kindly
than dozen others ana that he did SO at a per.
sonai sacrifice Is not true. neither IS II true that
Suffer in 1S45-46 was friendly to the United
States or to the immigrants as "Amerlcans"
ut is one OF the purposes for which the
Pioneers Society was organized. to keep
history straight" said W. B. FarwelI. who
first brought the matter 10 the attention of
the society 81 consider it the plain duty
of those who are yet the living witnesses
of the more prominent events Of early
California history, and who were con-
temporaries of those whose sagacity.
energy and ENTERPRISE induced them TO
settle in the wilderness and become the
founders of new State-I say l consider
it our duty to correct the misstatements
and misrepresentations Of so-called his
torians.
I'm his work on California Bancroft
continually misrepresents Fremont. and
the part that he played is belittled and
distorted to suit seemingly vengelui
malice existing in the mind OF the his
toIian. But for the work OF Fremont his
/ tory might be very different from what
| il is.
But more criminally wicked and more
cruel than all else is his denuncIation OF
General Suffer, man who was loved by
every person whom he met, and who moro
.hah any other one did SO much to smooth