Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-07
GIRLS ACT HAD
EFFECT ON HISTORY
OF THREE STATES

Nr ,C,,nEr IN, ,,r,c,
VI IiihEE > - Ed
------
St. Louis, April 2S.-SeVenty- years
have elapsed since an lS-ycar-Old bride M
this city played tremendous part I'm the
history of the United States by intercept
ing and Withholding important govern
ment orders The history Of a least three
States on the Pacific coast hinges more or
less directly upon this act Of insubordiua-
ton. pronounced at tho time. far and wide,
as high-h1ndod, bbt later justified by the
cXigencies Of the times. The bride was
Mrs. Jessie Benton Fremont, wife of John
G. Fremont, the explorer and statesman
and daughter Of Thomas II. Benton, FOR
many years a senator from Missouri.
Early in 1913 trcemcnt received from the
+ United states government a commission
to undertake the second OF his noted "N-
petitions OF exploration 10 the NorthW ST.
Their vast nnlnhahited region the u.u-
mate destiny or which huns In the 'a'-
ance' In ooedlence 10 IT, ne came TO IT,
Louis from washington anu l'hlr'"'' '''!
set ABOUT outlltlne MS eNpeu'"''' WIN
ms young VIE a'''"s a. ms SIl
1t wa" d mater VI i'''o'E '.'a' 'N i ~
'i'e 'is' ''''tu Vi t,i' 90
was o"ei'Ul sen .''4'ei'. - -
Vi OonS ,ss' , as'..' ~. pan,ao
'o'i u NV el'-.o- CaI-
to's'' 'ue" se'',''1' :, e, and tor ~ r,os+
NOUN oti" W. t,,e'aana Co,gross 70
.hatn hai,oea nv .bo o,bor hand senator
pnn,ou ,o,Ion,in,, t,s erst eIoct,o, in 1921
became q staunch advocate of western ex-
rans,or and was ablc TO command a large
foI,ovinr through whose efforts the vari-
ors expedltiors of exploration were au-
thorized
In Quitting his expedition. Free
mont took the liberty of adding a 10
pornd brass hovyitzer. secured from the
government arsenal at st Louis upon
tie representation >hat he needed it as
defense against POSSIBLE hostile In
d,ars
News OF this ACQUISITION. 1t appears.
was carried hastily to Washington,
,,.he @ tire announcement created sonc-
thing of sensation in governmental
circles. The element not especially
friendly to the expedition declared
that the taking Of cannon into foreign
or neutral territory constituted an act
of hostility which might involve the
government in grave eVcntualities.
This view appears to nave been shared
by the head of the Topographic Hu-
reau under whose direction the eN-
plcrations were being made. for he
straightway dispatched scaled orders
to Fremont at st. Lou. directing him
to halt the expedition rcport fortE-
with at Washington f.. the purpose
of giving an explanation OF his az
ton.
Freemont mad left 81 Louis for me
West in April, shortly ho'ore the ar
rival Of these orders, Mrs freemoh1 l.
as his secretary be'nS 'HS,ruet"" TO
open his mail md toF"d ,' ny courier
such doc"'Her's g" appeared H"Por'ah k
He was stu! Wlthin easy re'"i'' having
proceeded but snort 'ISlah'' INTO
what now constitutes h'i'9"S upon the
DAY OF the "'I'N"' ~ '"o '''po' ''"'
post
Inc young MIS- FIee'"""' VII" vas
thoroughly Hn VIZ" ''-' "'"N' ~ ''e'
husband ana -S'heI 'or western e'pan-
Sion thousht s'' c'Scerhed IN inc pre-
emptory ORDERS s"oteriuse 10 oe'eat
the purpose OF the expedition. For he'
husband to proceed t. Washington sh'
max" Impossible any journey t. the
Northwos: during that season. Senator
Benton was absent; it vas before tho
days of telegraph; she had 10 ore with
whom - counsel Thus, neset, the YounH
wife resolved to suppress tn" orders
SHrlnoning enc o.: the tas. ccHl!ers al
her command, Ms Freemont despatched
a message Of love to her husband urging
him Mt all hazards to hasten his depar-
ture from the fartherest fringe Of civil
! cation ana u pass heycnd tie Rocky
mountains as quickly a. possible. There
were hints G.: reason in the message
/ bvt the reason was not given
THUG Colonel rTeemont proceeded up
on g Journey OF months all unconscious
/ that his presence in Washington was
/ daily expected
There was another sensation at Wash
inCton when tho eyDedient DractiCed by