New-York tribune., 1906-06-17

In an unnamed grave lies the first Presidential
candidate Of the Republican party, which to-
day. in Philadelphia, celebrates its Golden Ju-
bilee Almost lost from view beneath the rankly
growing grass of a country cemetery rests all
thar IS left of John Charles Fremont. Only a
small iron Grand Army Of the Republic cross
and occasionally a few flags placed there by
school children mark the burial place Of the
man who was nominated just fifty years ago
this week as candidate for Chief Executive
Republicans are assembling from all parts Of
the country to-day in Philadelphia 10 hold a
three-day conclaye in honor of their party's ff-
tieth birthday. The first Republican convention
was held on June l., Is and 10, 1856. in Musical
Fund Hall. in that city, and on these same days
Of the year 1906, and IN the same building, will
the semi-centenniaI services be observed. The
convention Of 1886 chose Fremont for the high
est Office in the land. The jubilee of 1906 it is
hoped. viii take steps to honor his grave with a
monument betting his great name and fame
There is q peculiar irony of fate in the obscure
end Of THE Pathfinder" as Fremont was called.
He who in life succeeded so well in finding his
way through the deserts and mountain gorges
of the Far West has in death become lost in
rural burying ground within twenty miles Of
New York Though situated in Rockland Gene
terry on the brink Of the Palisades. almost in
sight Of the mulutudes who pass daily up and
down the Hudson the grave Of Fremont is
much unknown as if it were In the widest
wastes that THE Pathfinder ever explored.
Many who have gone 10 the cemetery ex-
pressly 70 see Fr6mont's burial place have failed
TO find il A special enlissary who was sent 10
visit the grave last Sunday by the Fremont Old
Guard of New York. an organization whose
members all voted for Fremont, and who have
ever since supported the Republican ticket, wan
dered up and down the cemetery for three hours
before he discovered II.
This association IS at the head Of the present
movement to erect a suitable monument on the
grave Of The Pathfinder" and viii introduce q
resolution al Philadelphia asking for the estab-
lisfnent Of memorial fund. one Of its mem
berH was accordingly authorized TO inspect the
gravS for the purpose of rendering a report con-
cerniag its neglect to the concIave. on reach
ing the Piermout station of the West Shore Rail
road, which IS. almost directly across the Hud-
son from Dobhs Ferry, the old Frkmonter
alighted from the train TO find a group Of farm
ers eying him askance Thinking that he might
obtain Information that would help him 10 find
the grave the more quickly. the New Yorker an
preached the Piermourers and, after eynfairir,
that he was DR. Samuel s Walian. of the Fra
mont ola Guard. said:
Would You be good enough TO tell me how,
far il Is 10 the grave Of Fremont? 7 have come
al the way from New York 10 visit it,
There was an awkward pause. One ra+,va
looked at another and then all shook heir heads
as the oldest member Of the ero,r said.
Don't know Of any such fener as yoU was
speakin' on. Was he q relation Of yourn?"
SUCH IS FAME.
What: Not know Of General John c. Ere
mont the explorer, soldier and candidate for
the Presidency exclaimed the visitor, in as
5onishment. Don't YOU know ba fs ,,,,riaz =,
Rockland Cemetery. on the Palisades?.
Another long pause. and then the spokesman %
the Pernonters replied:
Fremont? Wal. wal. I voted for hin, b,,
I'll be dog-goned If know what came Of hin,
since - ''i''-
alone. and IN a mood more Of sadness than
OF evaporation, the old Republican set o,,, 4or
the cemetery He tried 10 cheer himself with t,
'ncughJ that i would no doubt be OF small area
ana even Il the grave he sought was unnamed
nc Co1-o discover il easily, because there y,ourd
20 IL" o'Aefs. But on entering the buryfng
ground he found 1t so vast that he irnroe5iataI,
sought anew for guidance. The monuments a,,5
gTaFestones stretched away on all sides as far
as ne could see. Yet ali the people he ,ner and
AsAed Ior help only shook their heads A 9a1y
had vague idea tnat Fremont was hurried
somewhere around" but did not remember
having ever seen his grave one inpetuous
youth declared that he knew where il was and
siFaightway led the old Fremonter TO q stately
obe-+sk behind a group Of cypress trees. Rut
14e monument bore the name Of q wealthy
Farmer who had lived all his life within ten miles
of Nyack- Al last with the guidance Of a Gem
e'ery Official, DR. Wall!an found an obscnre
grave which would have been entirely hidden
by me grass had not kind hands placed ar the
mead an emblem OF the G.. A r.. an iron star a
iooi across and three small flags which l,ng
HInp In the sultry summer air
Few feet from the grave Dr. Walllan found
the stone foundation, by : feet in size for n.
Imposing statue which friends Of the senera1
some years ago planned 10 erect. but failed 70
complete. a portion Of It had cruyntIed ..
slight blow. showing that it was disintegrati,o,
IRON exposure TO the elements
SO far as the site of the grave Of Trr6,,or+ ;.
concerned II can hardly be surpassed l. q
almost on the brink OF the Palisades ,,,oro =
monument Of even ordinary height cor,d -
seen for miles up and down the Hudson 7, %
five hundred feet above the river so thai =
memorial stone only fifty feet high ,youId tov,er
above the water far doeS ~.