Saturday, September 6, 2014

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, November 13, 1861

Washington, November 13, 1861.

I cannot enlighten you very much about Fremont. He has no doubt done some impolitic and some very foolish things; but I judge from all I can learn that most of the extravagances with which he is charged were prompted or perpetrated by or under the direction of General McKinstry, a regular army officer, who was placed by the Government in charge of his department as quartermaster. Whatever may have been his acts, or omissions to act, however, there is no question in my mind that the real cause of his removal was the proclamation he issued, and which he failed to modify in accordance with the President's wishes. That was the great sin for which he was punished. The Committee of the House of Representatives appointed to investigate Cameron's alleged frauds was composed of Fremont's enemies, and they were soon induced to abandon Cameron and fall upon Fremont. They have drawn out all the ex parte testimony they could that was calculated to implicate him and his friends, giving him no opportunity to deny or rebut it; and yet one of the committee who is very virulent against Fremont told me yesterday that they were unable to trace the transactions which they deemed so exceedingly censurable to him or to his knowledge.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 154-5

No comments: