The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-08-26


st. Louis. One Of the most serious
charges against him was that be had
refused to re-onforce Lyon aud had
therefore been the Indirect cause Of
the death of that brave and capable
general. Other criticisms were that
he overreached his authority. that he
was personally inaccessible. that hp
was Impractical and showed lack
Of military experience and capacity
On Aug 30 Frcmonts acts raised a
much more serious question. That
was the date of bis famous proclaim
ton declaring tie entire state OF Mis-.
souri, under martial law. liking pen
aties of those in rebellion against the
Union. conhscating their property and
freeing their slaves. This at once
raised storm IN tllc border states
and representations were made TO Lin
,oln that unless Fremouts action in
freeing the slaves was dsavowed 1t
might lose kentucky TO the Union.
Famous Proclamation Disavowed.
Lincoln wrote a kindly letter to
Fremont. pointing out that his procla-
nation was not In harmony with the
act of congress relating TO the slaves
of those in rebellion and asking him
to modify his pronunciamcnto to con
form to the law This Fremont re-
fused to do and invited the president
himself 10 dlsavow the proclamation
IL he did not approve It.
The president had no choice but to
do ihis, although he doubtless knew nt
tho time that in taking such action he
would subject himself to wholesale
denunclation from the more radical of
his own followers. In this he was not
mistaken. Perhaps no act of his first
year I'm the White House aroused more
indignant protest. Yet looked at from
the distance Of fifty years, IL is plain
that Lincoln was right. Fremont clear
ly overstepped his authority and took
upon himself powers which belonged
only TO congress. Aside from any
question of policy as to the border
states. the plain letter of the law com
PEELED the president to disapprove Ere
mont's action. Moreover, in writing to
Fremont Mr.. Lincoln showed that he
was trying to save the face OF the
general. giving him every opportunity
to correct his own blunder and TO do
II as though the correction were made
Of his own motion. Lincoln showed
the same tenderness for Fremont in
subsequent dealings between the two.
Fremont's refusal TO correct his OBJ
vious mistake In this instance placed
Lincoln in an unfair and embarrassing
position. but the president evinced his
courage by meeting 1t promptly in the
only way it could be met.
Missouri's War Governor.
Prior to this Hamilton Il. Gamble.
the new governor of Missouri, had is.
| sued proclamation calling for $1,000
men. Governor Gamble had been
elected by the convention 10 serve tenn.
| porarily until the election In Novem.
Der. At that election, by the way, he
was chosen for the full term and re-
mained governor til his death in 1864
Governor Gamble was born in Virginia
in 179S. was admitted to the bar at
the age of eighteen and had lived In
Missouri since he was twenty, or more
than forty years. He became one oe
the foremost lawyers in the west and
served as chief justice OF the Missouri
supreme court. There were few more
dinlcut positions 20 hold than that OF
governor of a border state during the
war, but by his practical wisdom and
| ability Governor Gamble won golden
opinions during his incumbency both
from the authorities at Washington
and the people of his own state.
The week ending Aug. PC saw few
actions or other events worthy Of
| special note. On the 22d General
Daniel Il. Sickes was authorized to
raise an artillery regiment and regi
ment Of cavalry. At about this time
General Butler was relieved of com.
mand at Fortress Monroe and was
assigned to an expedition forming ia
reduce the forts at Hatteras inlet
North Carolina, General Wool succeed
| IuB tO tue coliuiuuu ul foltlcSS MON
roe. On Aug. 81 Mayor Berrett OF
Washington reached New York in the
custody of Federal detectives. Mr.
Berrett was charged with disloyalty tc
the government He claimed TO be
a Union man, but had refused TO take
the oath of allegiance and to this fact
assigned his arrest.
Skirmishes In Virginia.
Two skirmlshes of some Importance
occurred near Gauley bridge. western
Virginia. during the week. This
was the bridge destroyed by General
Wise In escaping from the Kanawha
valley few weeks earlier. On Aug
20. ut a point In the valley near Gau
ley, called Hawks Nest, the Eleventh
Ohio had an action with a superior
force Of Confederates estimated n,
1000, in which the Tederals had all
the best of 1t. losing only three men,
while it was reported at the time that
the Confederatcs lost fifty killed aud
a number taken prisoners.
Il.