The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-02-07
THE MODERN ARNOLD.
George wilkes Gibbeting Fits John
fts Porter.


george wIikes Cibsenng FIJI. Joh.
,tasR b. Porter.
From wilkss' SPIRIT
Previous to the present war, the records
of the country presented one character 20
pre- eminent in infamy, as to entiile it to
figure as type Of wickedness scarcely to
be equaled. and mover to be laentioaed,
except as . warning or . curse. That
character was Arnold's, and so earnest
against it has always been the detestatioa
Of the people, that his name, BY conssant
depreciation, has become current With NE
outside world, in connection with our
tanguage, as an accepted sign Of basepess-
of the deepest shade. But there we're
traits in Arnold's treason which make il
almost tolerable, when viewed in comoar-
ison with the execrable perfdy of Fits
John Porter. Arnold had been born
subject of Great Britain, his fealty had
but recently been transported, and his new
allegiance, so far as the obligations of du-
ration are to be considered, was but light
ly rooted. Moreover, he was 4 man of
brilliant talents and daring bravery, and
following these impulses, had rendered
signal service to his country, which he
fancied had been invidiously overlooked.
Fitx John Porter, on the other hand, had
been born under the flag which he betray-
ed, and his mesger courage, had always
been pampered and rewarded far beyond
their weight. Sent from New Hampshirs,
to the National Academy, he had been
reared and educated amonghcr most favor
ed children, and when accomplished to
the extreme Of the nations bounty, was
embarked 10 its indulgsnt service with .
rank which is esteemed, in other lands,
to be q proper beginning for Prince
Gratitude and devotion were to b expect
ed for these gracious kindnesses; and
chiefly were the sympathies and services
Of the recipient to be expected, BY the
section or State under whose patronage he
had attained his position in the world
His sympathiss, predictions, assscia-
tious and opinions, however, were found
to be in opposition to these instincts, ane
his career soon became marked With hos
tility 70 all the ideas and the sentiments
which were identified with the religion 0
his youth.
= Passing over the pro.chivalry Mexica,
= caDp~ign-a crusade IN which everybod
Was brevetted, whether deserving it o
not-we find him fly uring in the Mormo
!. war, and ways exercising an inAuenc
in council that prevented chastisement I
treason. Becoming soon afterward pc
of Floyd's. he was sent by that misorean
lat = time when he had matured hi
: plumber Of the public arsenals-on q COZ
idential mission to Fort Sumter. Tn
. ostensib.e pretence was An inspection q
. It's strength, and, while there, the asx,l
: tiary of the per6dious Secretary performe
!. his mission in behalf Of the CoalsdS ntss
= and prepared for the betrayal al the vovl
BY insidiously suggesting to the loya
soldier in command thaI we're IL Il
charge, che would not attempt to defens
the work, if attacked from the land side.
The next theater of Fitz Johns per
: formances was in Virginia, while acting
as Chief-of-Staff. under Patterson, durine
the first memorable battle Of Bull Run
The public know the history Of that de.
plorable affair. and they need not be told
by US that it was the failure of the foroa
Of Patterson-that was virtually under
the direction of Porter--to engage John
son or to reinforce Mcdowell, which
: caused the disaster and carnage Of thai
dreadful day. From thence, W trace
Porter - the leading adviser Of the Ions
and inglorious inactivity before Manassas
!. the engineer Who Protracted the disgrace
full siege Of yorktown; the strategis,
: who deliberately planted his batteries IN ,
! ravins Gin one Of the seven days battles
instead of on hight, while hs streamedj
! his regiments before raking FIRE Of the
: enemy; tho beos sa5renr who lied preeip.
: itately from the sneers Of brave Mccall.
when the butternut lines were advancing
: upon them at Gaines Mill; the traitoI
Who failed Pope at Centerville, and TIE
! ungrateful comrade who, when Burnside
. was sinking under tho accumulated weieh.
o. Hill and Longstreet, at Antietam. Re.
FUSED relnforcemenn out OF the thirtv
thousand which had stood idle under Nh.
during Oh the fierce temptations az 90
day. His whole career, therefore, i ora
consistent curreat of darkly suspie;ous
acts and, 1t the end, he stands convict.
Cd BY the solemn Judgment of bis peers
ofasakisy which equals che measure q
tho voRst that had besn thesRht q Nm
bAfoss- Il il Seldom that, in ths soorss
even OF the longest life, one man has the