JOHN FREMONT

He was explaining his repudiation of General John Fremont’s military proclamation in Missouri confiscating rebel property and emancipating their slaves. See {633732} .

This was one of the several early unofficial Emancipations that was issued in the Civil War.

Fremont and some of the Radical Republicans wanted Lincoln immediately to declare the slaves of the rebelling states free. As a major general in charge of an area, he wrote a military order emancipating all the slaves in his jurisdiction. President Lincoln countermanded the order as soon as he found out. He wanted Fremont to only free the slaves whose owners were actively working against the union. Lincoln needed to hold the border states like Maryland in the Union and was working on a plan whereby slave owners who were loyal to the Union would be economically compensated when their slaves were freed. If loyal slaveholders in Fremont’s area would lose their slaves with no compensation, Lincoln feared that the otherwise loyal border states would be driven to the confederacy thus shifting the balance of power. Lincoln had his own plan for emancipation and would not allow Fremont to alter that. As a result of this speech, the Radical Republicans nominated Fremont to run against Lincoln. For a few weeks he looked like he would run, but then he and Lincoln made a deal. Lincoln fired Montgomery Blair, Fremont’s arch enemy, from the cabinet, and Fremont withdrew from the election.

The prisoners were shot. Over a decade later, Fremont was running for the Presidency against Buchanan. This incident became public and hurt Fremont with many voters.

Fremont led his troops into the Mexican territory of California without permission. When he was ordered out (see related quote), he refused and ordered his men to the top of a small mountain, constructed a makeshift fort on Hawk’s Peak, and raised an American Flag at the summit. Fremont wanted California for America, and he was apparently prepared to precipitate an Alamo type situation where his band would be wiped out, and the United States, to avenge the massacre and in the process, take California. He thought better of the idea however, and after 3 days retired before any shots were fired. However, the next few years saw the United States virtually take over California.

He had no authority to do this. He just took it upon himself. This was one of the incidents which caused later Congresses to pass very strict laws limiting the authority of all Federal Military and other intelligence and police forces so that they have little or no authority within the United States. President Lincoln did not allow the order to stand, although he repudiated it very delicately and as privately as possible. Many in his own party strongly favored this proclamation as it cracked down on the Southern Rebels and emancipated slaves—both objectives of many Republicans. In addition, Fremont was very popular with the people and had strong political connections. (He would later run for President.) See {635739}.

Fremont had moved into Mexico and attacked. Realizing this, Admiral Sloat, technically Lt. Colonel Fremont’s superior, hoisted his battle flag and supported the action. When he came face to face with Fremont, Sloat wanted to know who had authorized the invasion of and attack upon Mexico? He was shocked at Fremont’s answer. He himself of much higher rank would never have fired upon the Mexicans without the authority of the heads of the government.

Fremont and some of the Radical Republicans wanted Lincoln immediately to declare the slaves of the rebelling states free. As a major general in charge of an area, he wrote a military order emancipating all the slaves in his jurisdiction. President Lincoln countermanded the order as soon as he found out. He wanted Fremont to only free the slaves whose owners were actively working against the union. Lincoln needed to hold the border states like Maryland in the Union and was working on a plan whereby slave owners who were loyal to the Union would be economically compensated when their slaves were freed. If loyal slaveholders in Fremont’s area would lose their slaves with no compensation, Lincoln feared that the otherwise loyal border states would be driven to the confederacy thus shifting the balance of power. Lincoln had his own plan for emancipation and would not allow Fremont to alter that. As a result of this speech, the Radical Republicans nominated Fremont to run against Lincoln. For a few weeks he looked like he would run, but then he and Lincoln made a deal. Lincoln fired Montgomery Blair, Fremont’s arch enemy, from the cabinet, and Fremont withdrew from the election.

He had no authority to do this. He just took it upon himself. This was one of the incidents which caused later Congresses to pass very strict laws limiting the authority of all Federal Military and other intelligence and police forces so that they have little or no authority within the United States. President Lincoln did not allow the order to stand, although he repudiated it very delicately and as privately as possible. Many in his own party strongly favored this proclamation as it cracked down on the Southern Rebels and emancipated slaves—both objectives of many Republicans. In addition, Fremont was very popular with the people and had strong political connections. (He would later run for President.) See {635739}.

Fremont had moved into Mexico and attacked. Realizing this, Admiral Sloat, technically Lt. Colonel Fremont’s superior, hoisted his battle flag and supported the action. When he came face to face with Fremont, Sloat wanted to know who had authorized the invasion of and attack upon Mexico? He was shocked at Fremont’s answer. He himself of much higher rank would never have fired upon the Mexicans without the authority of the heads of the government.

The prisoners were shot. Over a decade later, Fremont was running for the Presidency against Buchanan. This incident became public and hurt Fremont with many voters.

Fremont led his troops into the Mexican territory of California without permission. When he was ordered out (see related quote), he refused and ordered his men to the top of a small mountain, constructed a makeshift fort on Hawk’s Peak, and raised an American Flag at the summit. Fremont wanted California for America, and he was apparently prepared to precipitate an Alamo type situation where his band would be wiped out, and the United States, to avenge the massacre and in the process, take California. He thought better of the idea however, and after 3 days retired before any shots were fired. However, the next few years saw the United States virtually take over California.

This was one of the several early unofficial Emancipations that was issued in the Civil War.