Year: 1861

hEfOhl VI AAN---~U


ITS EFFECT UPON TIE ARMY AND TIE PUBLIC.


The most deplorable eect OF tho publication OF Adu
tanGeneral Thomass report will be the demonstration
of the Army Of the West is scarcely possible that Ii
can have any other result. Hwas blunder to appoint
Fremont to the command of the Department. or 70 retain
him in that command after his incompetency had oeen
satisfactorily demonstrated to the Administration, twas
the saddest blunder OF all 10 make public such docn
nleIi Wits tne object Of its auimadyeraions rsnansd
at the head Of the srmy and Il will be likely TO cost the
Government more than tho four millions expended IN
that Department Of which hear no end OF complaint
II must have been known TO the War Department that
such ltmed publicity would seriously check the enthu
sasm Of the army embitter the controversy among its
officers and men, and so demoraEe to render It com
paravey Inefficient Tho malgnancy that could expose
an army to such dangers in order to strike an effective
blow at is commander should be ustifying cause for
the removal Of any man from Office, however high MS
position.


So far as the document was prepared guide the Ad.
minstraon in its decision, it possibly well enough


though any cabinet that would permit itself TO be rtl
enced by report cirelessy prepared so u OF ram
dom gossip and evidently biased would expose itself TO
keen and deserved ccnsure And more than tbs, its
publication received the sanction OF the Administration,
the people can hardly fail TO feel total want OF
confidence 10 its ability to manage the affairs OF the
nation in this grave crs in business and sta,esmGn


like manner i. processes to feel in Fremonts rcom-
potency to manage the affiirs Of single Department


Of the report ttSCt we nave dlEeAuy
free and frank opinion. Il was hoped that the visit OF
the Secretary Of War and the AcutantGsneral to the
West would evenuate in good. The friends OF General
Fremont hopefully awaited the result Of PARENT and


impartial investigation of the facts Bat II was apparent
10 all that the vit the merest petext TO cover with
a decent formalty, what had been predetermined. To
suppose thai in the brief space OF time occupied 10 the
visit the gentlemen could gather oil the material facts
covering the military transactions Of months was absurd
and the report shows ts face that they had no suc
intentions.


They caught passing glimpse OF the tordfcatons at
st. Louie reviewed the troops at Jssrsol City and Tin
ton heard the complaints OF diss itisfed and grumbDg
officers and squeezed reluctant opinions from men whose
military educaou had taught them the value OF reticsnce
and with this budget of observations opinions and camp
gossip aud with scattering OF facts which they did nos
take the pains develop hurried back TO the Capitol
where the Adi1gnt-tieneral detailed to write out
what appears to have been the hasy iottngs OF pocket
memorandum, ia wretehed taste and worse English.


II the documen. II c,ed only General Fremont and
had been 90 prepared not 10 have involved others ID


controversy that has become serious enough already
lis publication would rot have been 81 otJectlona0le-
But involves number of bis subordinates and dras
Gen Hunter into vortex that threatens nothing but
destruction No greater injury could have been done
that cic than to make him patty TO quarre! which
had It's origin with family Of ambitious men. ltat once
uuts him TO be the successor oil Gen. Fremont oy erea
ting party in tho army and ont Of it against him ct
the start; for they WILL undoubtedly, attribute the
nova their favorite General in part at least 70 the
reluctant opinion" he gave OF Eremonts ncompetency
and will not be maenaniRous enough TO impute such an
opaicu 70 entirely dsinterested motives. !


Indeed thers ID any imaginable owl that IS nos


kely 20 follow the egregrous bunder of permitting she
publication Of such paper II Ii pyesened array OF


facts Overwhelmingly against Fremont end based its ir
raiing conclusions upon them then it, publicity might
have accomplished tie desired effect Of convincing the
mos. attached friends of the General that his removal
was military necessity. /: will however, have the OPP
poste effect and IL passing strange that there was
no member of the Cabinet who had sufficient penetra
ion to see this Instead Of convincing anybody that
Fremont is Incompetent il carries with it. 10 connection
with the blunder Of its publication, the conviction OF in
competency 10 another quarter. Il confirms the opin-
ion that General Fremonts removal was long ago deter
mined by the Secretary Of War; and that The visit and
ropot are the subtsrges of who seek to evade the
responsibility Of doing what they desire, in sraghtfor.
ward, no orable manner. luetead OF irpresslDg the
public with any display of imparLiaty, it besrs prmd
facis evidence OF malignant hate that its author lack
ed the policy, or did not care to conceal.


It mly have been unfortunate that Fremont was ap-
pouted and st unfortunate that he was retained
in command but the sorest misfortune of all 70 the
country IA the knowledge that has for an Adutsnt
General man who could prepare such report and a
Secretary of War who could consent TO its publication


If the Secretary had been aoua.ed by the highest and
unrest motyes or had proper consideration for the


dignity of his poon be would have caused the instant
dismissal from the service Of any subordinate guilty OF
such an official paper.