--The career of
General Fremont has been brief and brilliant.
We vestured to express the opinion, when he rose with a rocket like glare over the ‘"Department of the
Mission, "’ that he would come down the a stick.
He has done better than we expected.
He has won no grand victories, it is true, but he has exhibited the touching spectacle of a patriot yielding to temptation, and permitting his pockets to be filled at the expense of his reputation.
If
Fremont had chosen to pursue the vulgar path of military glory, he would probably now be in the possession of
Gen. Price, or transferred to an apartment in a Richmond tobacco factory.
But he abstained, with commendable discretion, from every act which could imperil his person or his fame, and contented himself with pursuing Federal ducats, instead of ragged Confederates.
The extent of his financial achievements will not probably be fully known before the close of the war.
We think it likely that be has mulcted the
Lincoln exchequer to the tune of several million and thus more than fulfilled the expectation of his friends.
We feel grateful to
Fremont for his successful speculations, and only regret that he has so soon been with drawn from a career of usefulness to our country.
We had hoped that his influence would prove strong enough to sustain him is a position where, by his Abolition and confiscating proclivities, and his masterly depletion of the
Federal treasury, he has rendered in calculable service to the
Confederate cause.
As a native of
Virginia, we felt proud on
Fremont, and hoped he would be spared to demonstrate that in every department of human enterprise the Old Dominion can surpass all competition.
Having produced in Scot ‘"the greatest coward in the world,"’ we indulged a pleasing anticipation that
Virginia could claim in
Fremont such a capper and miner of a public treasury as mankind had never seen
Virginia never gives birth to ordinary public characters.
They are like the prophet's figs the good, very good, and the had, very had
Fremont owes it to his native State not to retire altogether from political affairs.
Le him set up an independent monarchy in the
West, with Jessie as
Lieutenant General Now is the time to strike a bold blow for immortality and found a dynasty, around which the foreign element in
Missouri, and all other admirers of legitimacy will rally as one man.
