Year: 1861

y


IS usually appointed because his qualif-


ficauons for it are believed to have been


proven by his history. For positions in


which immense interests are to be saved


or lost, especially when the interests are


those of a nation struggling for Its life,


men are not elected on trial merely


Were this to be done, the WellinglOns


and Washingtons would scarcely ever be


chosen. and if chosen would be set aside


upon the very threshold of their UNDER


lakings. The necessity of committing


vast trusts to men in whom we can have


well grounded confidence arises not solely
from the fact that only such men can ac-
complish great enterprises, but from the
additional and too much neglected truth
that the ablest men cannot render the
best services 10 the public without the
public confidence. They must retain the
public confidence amid those adverse cir
Cumstances in the teeth of which success
in momenlus undertakings has almost in
varlably to be won. When in a wild
strom the best proved steersnan is called
To the helm cunhdf nee must be r posed
in his superior skill, even though It appear
at times almost baffled by the fierce eie.
mrnts. For. the want OF such confidence
aud the placing of another man at the
helm would slmTly be meIdng bad with
worse, and might ensure that destruction
from which the best skill could only with
difficulty effect rescue. II would be a
dreadful error TO mistake the magnitude
of the exigency for incompetenCy in the
man whose past deeds had designated him
as the hero of the crisis. 1t is to the last
degree fallaciOus ami absurd to insist that
a carefully selected agent shall have our
confidence only while evidently success
full. He weli deserves it while contend
ing amid almost overwhelming Teverses,
If he has done and is doing the best pOssi-
bic under all the circumstances. We are
bound TO predict ineompetency not upon
disaster. but upon an ascerlained misuse
of sufficient means. Here is the egregi-
OILS blunder made by the critics who are
nov so loudly complaining of Fremont.
Shutting their eyes alike to The hard ne
cessilirs of his situation. the limited
means at his cOmmand. and that history
OF his triumphs which designated him for
his present arduous post they demand
Instant and unbroken success as his ORly
vIndicatiOn from charges OF
to which his whole life most
gives the lie. Such demand
would have cashiered Washington him
self in grossly unjust disgrace. and thus
have deprived the country of probably
the only man able to save her. II Is his
know character and thoroughly-tried abil-
lty that preserved to him the confidence
of his countrymen, while repeated and
heavy disasters drew upon him the male
dieuons of eDvious or misjudglng men,
Had the urgent counsels of the latter
prevailed, the {" Pater Patria" would
have been superseded at a most critical
point of his and his country's history and
1is glorious work have been delayed or
never completed.


Fremont has a history radiant with
proofs that he possesses IN an eminent
degree the qualities be now most needs.
Those qualities are comprehensiveness
and accuracy of judgment. quick per.
;eption of The nature and extent Of vast
obstacles and of the requisite means for
them, and energy and
in the collection and use of
such means. His lriumphs heretofore
we're preceded by periods of careful
which. to superficial obser-
Vation, seemed vexatiously protracted. but
upon which followed periods OF executi~n
swift, dauntless, heroic, and ending IN
Of which men heard oaly with
or astoniShment. II has been
Fremont's habit TO triumph over the most
formidable obstacles. and to win the laurel
Of victory amid combinations Of clrcum-
stances that to most heroes would have
been appalling. Our confidence in him
is bassed upon his tried character and
abiliues, and a knowledge of the great
difficulties by which be has been envirOned
Il may be that these will at last prove
even to his genius; but if So.
il will not be, we believe, through his
deficiency or fault. Ia such a contiu-
gsncy, which we regard as IN the highest
legr-e improbable, Fremont has still
glorious past which no misfortune can
ehace st Louis Democrat.


There are as many kinds of silence as