The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-01-05

honors, paraphernalia, are left behind
The dead are stripped Of all, only the soul
what was the indsstructible essence, ~.
manning, and this should have only the
simplest name To designate it.
Remem bering these words, Mrs Ere
mont said recently that in the proposed
monument plan she would prefer the
plain level slab and tho name only,
stripped Of all titles, as best marking
the resting place Of the man who did so
much and claimed nothing. My prefer
ence, she said, would BE- the cross above
the plain slab marked simply Fremont
and on the side panels his own words show.
ing lifelong faith in Gods guidance "
1t Is Mrs. Fremont's heartfelt desire 20
erect the monument at her own expense.
and this she will do, provided she secures
from the United States government the
Justice that has long been her due Be
fore the war Mrs Fremont bought a beau
tiful home on what IS known as Black
Point, In San Francisco The property
consists OF ID acres, and for it Mrs. Ere
mont paid $4,000 In gold. On Oct. ,,
1868, General Fl. W. Halleck sent the fol.
lowing order TO General c. Wright: The
secretary Of war directs that you take mil.
itary Possession OF Point san Jose and
erect the batteries proposed for its de
Tense. The question of ownership will be
determined hereafter
In pursuance Of this order the Fremont
property was confscated by tho govern.
ment, and although 81 years have passed
Uncle Sam has not paid Mrs. Fremont n
dollar for the property that cost her SAL
900 in gold from his minis. There seems
no question as to the legitimate charartcr
Of her claim for compensation. Numerous
military committees of house and senate
have favorably reported the bill referring
the Fremont claim to the court Of claims
for adjustment. The bill has repeatedly
been on the calendar but has never been
reached owing to one cause or another
The property Of nearly all the other own
ers has been returned To them by the gov.
eminent, but Mrs. Fremont Is even de
MED the privilege Of having her bill con-
sidered by the court OF claims The su-
preme court Of California held her title to
be perfectly valid and such eminent law.
yers as Roscoe COnkling and Associate
Justice Field Of the United States su.
preme court have assured her that the
government should either restore her land
to her or pay for it. Mrs Fremont still
hopes that congress will pass her bill, and
IL an award Is made she will use the mon.
ey In erecting tho proposed monument to
her husband. II not the monument will
be erected by tho California pioneers, who
will raise fund by popular subscription
Mrs. Fremont was born in Virginia in
1874 She Is daughter Of Thomas r.
Benton, the famous United States senator
OF Missouri, and was but Is years Of age
when she met Fremont, who was then a
second lieutenant Of typographical en2i-
young couple loved and were engaged de
spite the opposition Of Senator Benton.
who thought his daughter too young to
consider the subject Of matrimony. The
war department, doubtless at the instiga-
ton Of senator Benton. promptly ordered
Fremont to examine the river Dies Moines,
then on the western frontier. Fremont
performed the duty with the quickness at
an impatient lover and returned to Wash
ington, and on Oct. 10, ls4I, the lovers
were secretly married. The following year
Fremont began his exploration Of the
Rocky mountains and was with his wife
but three years out Of the first eight Of
their married life.
Mrs. Fremont has been prominent In
the public eye for many years. When her
husband ran for president against Buch-
anan In 1850, the rallying cry OF the first
national Republican campaign was Ere
mont and Jessie" Fremont was beaten.
but he received a popular vote Of I,34I,
600 against !, 83s, 900 for Buchanan. Mrs
Fremont has written n number Of inter
esting books and completed the unfinished
Memoirs Of her husband She now re-
81 les with her da lighter In Los Angeles
The elder son, John Charles Fremont, Is
q lieutenant in the United States navy,
and the younger son, Frank Preston Ere.
mont, Is lieutenant In the Third in
fahtry, United States army. II Ia said
that tho little home In Los Angeles IL |
largely the gift Of a few California friends.