The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-06
ADMIRAL. PORTER,
An Explanatory Letter-A DeuinI Of any Inten-
EtIon to Reflect Upon the President In n For
mer Indisereet Comm n nicati0n.


An Explanatory Letter-A Denial Of any Inten-
EtIon to Reneot Upon the President in n For
mer Indisereet Communication.
WASHINGTON, Dec 5.-Admiral Porter has
addressed the following letter to the President:
WASHINGTON, Dec. D, 1ST0.-Mr. President
My first impulse reading the article pub
lished in the New York World waste go to you
at once and pronounce it a fabrication, for as
such considered it, but as Ii purportsd to have
been written six years ago, and published by
person who once held prominent place under
the Government determined to ascertain fully
If | ever indited such letter, before addressing
you on the subject. Neither myself nor my
secretary who has served with me eight years.
could recall TO our recollection any circum-
stance of the kind.
l could not conceive that had uttered senti-
ments know / never felt, and which are so at
variance with those that | have uniformly ex-
pressed towards you The letter, it appears was
a private one; and vindictive must have been
the heart of the man that could be guilty of so
gross a breach of confidence, and depraved in
deed must have been the character who, to
crafty his mischievous instincts, could make
public confidential letter written, perhaps,
under great excitement, and at this distant day
not even remembered. 1t seems like poor re-
turn for your uniform confidence aud kindness
to me, and / am too glad that / remember no.
thing connected with the letter.
AT about the date of the letter / had passed
through long and fatiguiDg contest with Fort
Fisher, and my numerous fleet was almost over
powered with the elements saw the coveted
prize within my grasp and then slip from me
for another month. / had to battle with the
storms of winter anchored on an open coast,
with the responsibility of that large fleet on my
hands, my mind and body harassed by eXtraordi-
nary fatigue. The whole nation was looking
on excited, dreading defeat that might pro-
long contest that was already sapping its
vitals.
You and others know what had to undergo
bodily and mentally. | presume it was while
under this excitement that | wrote the letter
which you say has made you lose your faith in
human nature. have no recollection of it any
more than would have of the passing circum-
stances of six years ago. When several persons
have at different times, informed me that q
letter would be published In which | had abused
General Grant, treated the matter with indif-
ference, thinking it impossible that such a let
ter could exist. | do not write for the purpose
of generating myself, for would rather be the
writer of that letter than its publisher.
The peace of political parties and of society
would be placed in great jeopardy if all the
private letters written within the last six years
| were published. Nothing that have said will
! affect your fair fame, and your many friends
would be sadly wanting in judgment If they
! were at all influenced by a silly exultation of a
! few INSCRIPTIONS persons, who are, after all,
only rejoicing over the most contemplate
breach of confidence | ever heard of.
] regret exceedingly the loss of your friend
ship, and do not hesitate to disapprove the
| sentiments of which, suppose, must bear the
odum. They appear in aletter of which have
| no recollecton they are so different from the
| sentiments / always expressed towards yourself
and the gallant officers of the army, and so in
consistent with all my antecedents, that
scarcely consider them entitled to a moments
| thought
have the honor to remain, very respectfully
| your obedieI t servant,
DAVID d. PORTER, Admiral.