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
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