The chronicle=news., 1913-01-30
Anniversary Of
THE BIRTH Of
FREMONT

Washington. Jan. 30.-In no year
of American history have thcr. been
offered such abundant opportunities
for centenary celebration ms the year
now begun. During the ensuing 1.
months there Will occur the csnten-
niai anniversary OF tn. births of such
notable figures In American history
as stephen A. Douglas. the demo
crvlc candidate for president
against Lincoln: Admiral David G..
Porter. one of the celebrated naval
commanders in the civii war. Henry
Ward Beccher. the famous pulpit
orator: Allen q, Thurman. Ohio SEN
ator and one of the noted leaders of
the DEMOCRATIC party: General John
Scdgwick. one Of the ablcst and BRAY
est officers OF the Army OF the Po-
tomac: Zachariah Chandler. United
States senator and secretary OF The
interior. and stephen u. Mallory.
who is- hes, remembered ms the Tccrc-
tary OF the navy OF the confederate"
states.
or the men named in III. ioreso-
ing list. however. there Is none
whose career was half SO picturesque
as that OF John c. Fremont. who
day In Savannah. Ga. Soldier. .N-
plcrer. civii engineer. governor OF
California and Arizona and first can
dida,c OF the Republican party for
president. General Fremont for many
years was II conspicuous and at times
n very romantic figure In tn" public
eye.
General Fr"moni's father was n
| Frcnchman. who. coming to tn"
| United States, married into Wiz
yinin family. and died when John
was five years old. After leaving
| college tn. future soldier and pniit-
; ical leader lived for some years
teaching mathematics. In which oc-
cupa,ion he made long cruise on
United States warshij. When he re-
| turned he obtained position In th"
United States typographical corps.
and explored the mountain passes OF
North Carolina and Tennessee.
| In ISil Fremont met In Washing
\ ton the Young daughter Of Senator
Benton OF Missouri. and they were
married secretly. The couple after
ward were accepted by the brides
, father. who subsequently had Ere
mont placed In command OF the "Np"-
dItion to explore the western United
States territories. and Fremont he
gan the work which gave TO him the
;i,'e OF the Pathfinder and resulted
| ~ cis candidacy for the presidency
oi tie United States.
| He made five expeditions In all.
J In the first he gathered much need
ed and accurate knowledge OF the
Indians In Nebraska. Wyomin. and
tn. south pass to Oregon. and plant
ed the American flag on the highest
peak OF the Rocky Mountains. The
.li,,le band suffered terrible hard
ships and encountered many dangers.
but the results OF the expedition
were 80 valuable that Fremont start
ed on another one the following
year. He explored Utah this time.
and IL was his eport OF the rcsourc-
es Of tho salt Lake region that at
tracted the Mormons.
On the third expedition to Califor-
mia Fremont got into complica ions.
and on charges was found guilty and
sentenced to be dismissed from the
army in which he had risen to the
rank OF colonel President Polk.
| while approving the verdict. remlt-
! ted the penalty. but Fremont re-
signed. This was in 1SiS. and he
conducted the last two explorations
at his own expense. He had settied1
In California and hnd some to the
United States senate In 1880. but
he could not be reelected on account
of his hostility to the extension of
slavery. In 1856 he was nominat-
ed for president by the new repub-
liran and National American parties
but was defeated.
When the civil war broke out FIRE.
mont received command. bn, WAS
involved in controversy a.!i relieved
OF active service. At this period the
discomfort with Lincoln's admir:s-
tration ccntercd in Frcmon'. aud
1864 he was nominated by radical Re-
publicas for president. hut as IT APP
peared that his nomination co';d on
ly result in the dcfea' Of bo;h Lie
coin and himself. he vitarhw.
General Fremont was governor OF
Arizona from 1878 to 1854, and IN
1890, n few months before his death,
which occurred in New York City.
on July 10 of tina, year. congress au-
thorized his appointment as major |
general of the army.