The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-02-08

they have complete control Of the purse and
the sword, and, as the Times admits, they are
wholly and solely responsible to the country
There is no instance In modern times In which
such vast warliks means have been placed ss
the disposal Of government, and no instance
in which failure has been so signal and 20
disgraoeful.
II is In vain, therefore, for Greeley to accuse
the democratic party Of "oomplicity with red
handed treason" and to announce that the war
must be abandoned and the national cause lost
unless the democratic leaders change their
course. In what respect must they change
their courses Here ia Greeley's answer
"Union armies may march through and over
the South-they may put down all armed resist
ancs-yet no seeded State will be really re-
stored to loyalty SO long as 1t shall be cursed
with slavery" What is needed, therefore, Is
that the whole democratic party should become
abolitionists Of the Garrison stripe; otherwise
tho Union cannot be saved. But the damocra-
cy don't see 1t, nor do they accept Greeley's al
ternatiye, nor will It be in his power to compel
them "to shoulder the responsibility Of what
ever disaster may result Greeley & Co.
must face the music to the very denousment Of
the drama, and be prepared to take the final
consequences Of their acts.
FITS John Porter and Tom Ford-The
Administration Sadly IT Fault.
A court martial lately convened at Wash
ington, to consider certain charges brought
against General Fitz John Porter, found him
guilty, and, upon the verdict of the court, he
was dismissed by the President in disgrace from
the army, and forever excluded from Office
under the federal government. It is probable.
however, that upon the naked evidence and
judgment Of the court the punishment of this
officer would have been lighter; but tho written
opinion of Judge Advocate General Holt. with
his adroitly drawn presumptions and differences,
did the business. General Porter stands official
ly condemned and disgraoed as having shame
fully and repeatedly disrsgardsd in August
last the orders of his superior officer, General
Pope, and as having thereby brought defeat and
disaster to our arms, when, by proper exertions,
he might, with his corps d'ormee, have given to
General Pope all the advantages of q complete
ly victorious campaign.
Thus officially stands the case of General
Porter. But not long ago there was another
military court convened at Washington to in
quire into the cause of the disgraceful Harper'a
Ferry captulstion, and to fix the responsibility
upon the guilty parties. This court, after q
careful examination of the evidence of numer-
Gus witnesses, fixed the responsibility to q great
extent upon Colonel Tom Ford, of Ohio, po-
litical mouAtebank and military impostor,
who had been entrusted with the commanding
position Of Maryland Heights, and who, without
decent show of resistance, had basely aban-
doned that position In the face of the enemy.
The court accordingly decreed the dismissal Of
Tom Ford from the army, as guilty Of gross in
competency or cowardice; and this verdict was
approved by the President, Is we understand it.
Built now turns out that this military charls-
tan, Tom Ford, has been working, through q
powerful friend at court-Mr. Secretary Chase
for reversal Of this righteous sentence; and,
what ID more, it appears that Mr.. Chase has
succeeded in persuading the President to re-
verse the Judgment Of the court, in order to
cover up the guilt Of Ford In an apparently
voluntary resignation.
Now let us look for moment at the respec-
tive merits Of Fitz John Porter and Tom Ford.
The former, il can never be forgotten, covered
the splendid retreat of Gen. Mcclellan from the
Chickahominy to the James river. With some
twenty-seven thousand men Gen. Porter held In
check . rebel column of forty thousand at
Gaines Mills from noon until nightfall, thereby
saving our entire army from destruction. At
Malvern Hill he planned and conducted the
battle on our side, the results of which were
the most terrible slaughter and the most deci-
siye repulse which the rebels have suffered in
any engagement since the beginning Of the
war. Thus our army was moved to q
good position and secure base Of ope-
rations for another advance upon Rich
mond, and thus our national capital was saved,
and, to very great extent, by the skill, abilities
and intrepidity Of Gen. Fitz John Porter, as tho
Marshal Ney, holding the rear guard of our re-
treating army. Nor have we any doubt, had
our forces in the fight been repulsed at Antie-
tam, that General Porter, in command of the
reserves, would have retrieved the fortunes of
the day. But, found guilty Of characterization
under General Pope, Porter isadismissed the
service; and, having no abolition friend at court
his case is without remedy.
Tom Ford, on the other hand, has rendered
no other military service to the country than
the eapitulation Of Harpers Ferry That i'm
portant position, and twelve thousand men, and
atty pieces Of artillery, and wagons, horses,
and military stores almost beyond computation
In Confederate scrip, were surrendered to the
enemy. and chiefly through the incompstency
and cowardice Of Tom Ford. Thus the rebel
army of General Lee was supplied with album
dance Of ammunition for the battle Of Antistam,
and thus General McClellan's we'll devised plans
for the complete destruction or capture Of the
rebel army were defeated. We Do not enter.