Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-03-18
The Case of Fitz John Porter.


IT is very natural that his friends should
wish to reopen the case OF Mr.. Fitz John
Porter. The family name is involved in
the heavy censure under which the late
General rests; but the facts are familiar
to the country, and the judgment of the
court has been long affirmed by public
opinion No soldier had ever a fairer
trial He was patiently heard, the facts
were carefully weighed, and the verdict
was so decided that it is generally under
stood the penalty would have been very
much severer except for the interference
of President Lincoln.
Nobody knows, said very distinguished
General in the service, what envy is, if he
has not been in the army; and it is not
too much to say that the presumption was
against Mr.. Porter from the first When
it was alleged, after the misfortune of
General Pope, that General Porter had
virtually refused to hasten to the rescue in
obedience to orders, the country had seen
enough to feel that the assertion was not
improbable. 1t was the misfortune Of
Mr.. Porter TO belong to that class of Off
GERS who did not believe in the cause and
who half hated to be obliged to obey the
administration. Their personal friend
ships and professional sympathies were
very much with their opponents, and
neither the moral enormity nor the politi-
cal folly of the rebellion were ever COM
pretended by them. Generals Mcclellan
and Buell. were of this kind and had the
first remained in command in the East
and the last in the West, it is not difficult
to perceive what the result of the war
must inevitably have been. Is anybody
expected to believe that General Buell. did
his best to subdue the rebellion; that he
worked as men work whose hearts and
hopes are fixed upon an object? And is
it to be supposed that General Porter,
who was anintimate friend of McClellan's,
who had been partly superseded by Pope,
was SO intent upon the defeat of the rebels
that his personal jealousies would not
affect his action? Ii Mcclellan had been
in Popes place, would not General Por-
ter's conduct have been materially diff
ferent?
Such doubts as these, founded upon
knowledge of disposition and sympathy,
created the general presumption against
Mr.. Porter. But the verdict against him
was rendered not upon presumption but
upon evidence. A board of soldiers were
satisfied, after the most careful hearing Of
testimony and elaborate argument, that he
had failed in his duty, and failed intention
ally. lie was tried, indeed, during the
war; but for that very reason he was more
likely to be fairly tried, for the feelings
which gave their character to facts were
then fresh and ineligible, as they are not
now. He was tried at a time when
mere technical defense was useless, and
appreciated, as it might not be now.
1t is not likely that the case will be re-
opened, as it certainly is not desirable
that it should be. 1t is not improbable,
however, that at some future day, if the
Democratic party should obtain power, it
might grant Mr.. Porter's request. But
should that day ever arrive, there is no
saying whatmay not be done. We shall
have the merits of Robert E. Lee, as "a
Christian gentleman" and "great cap
tain," fully recognized. The much-in-
jured Toucey will be restored to his lofty
niche in the Pantheon of Patriotism. The
arms dispensing Floyd will be celebrated
as minister OF peace and fraternity. Our
own Fernando Wood, who bewailed his
inability to dispatch ammunition and
weapons to Toombs, will have medal
struck IN his honor as the model Demo
cratic Conservative National Unionist
The mildew Of SANDER will be wiped from
the precious name of Twiggs; and Ad-
miral Porter must not be surprised if the
glory OF the truest patriotism be awarded
to Raphael Semmes. When that day
comes, but not before, the loyal people of
this country will believe that Fitz John
Porter honestly and heartily did all that
he possibly could do, to obey the spirit as
well as the letter of his orders, to hclp
General Pope to win victory Hm,per's
Weekly.