The New York herald., 1870-04-05
FITz JOHN PORTER.
Synopsis OF His Reply to Senator Chandler's
Speech-He Is Prepared to Prove that
the Charges Brought Against Him
We're Unjust-Why He Did Not
Offer New Evidence Before.
WASHINGTON, April A, 1870.

General Fitz John Porter's reply to the recent
speech by Senator Chandler in regard to his applt-
cation for rehearing upon new testimony has been
addressed to the Senator with the request that 1t be
laid before the Senate to show into what grave
Mr.. Chandler had fallen sin endeavoring to do JUS
tlce TO history" The main points OF the reply,
which was distributed to members OF Congress
to-day, may be summarized as follows:-
He has prooflthat Mr.. Lincoln. just before hts
DEATH promised to reopen the case ON production OF
new evidence; that he expressed high opinion Of
his (Porter's) bravery and fidelity and that he had
based his approval OF sentence on Judge HOltS
opinion, not having had time to examine the case
himself. Replying to Pope's first charge of dis
august 90 1867 until Two hours later then ordered,
and 70 Chandier's additional assertion that Hooker
was out OF ammunition and might have been de-
stroyed by the delay, General Porter says:-
Ishal PROVE when Iget rohearng. that put of start
ing-two only ofnightby the urgent advice Of the
That my command had reached warrenton Junction At
; %.ao ns
ing broken rest that the night was pitch dark the road
best delaying the march IN daybrsak because
the march with more rapdity and fewer delays and
mss as sn The
% % snS as % wSSs S ss
% 5 hn ne % S
march earlier hour than daybreak would disabled
that though apprecatng soundnes Of their reasons
as @ S who Se sSs s s ns BE-
&c ~ q a sss 1 na s ss e1ss. asasS 10 @ ss had @
Vice Of my generals only By Of
shall prove that the result showed that literal compliance
lie delay but the march made ali the quicker for H. ind that
arrived as soon as other troops by as true sol
ders breathe coming shorter distance and under
snail prove that whensI did arrive there was and had
and that at Bristoe all
that day. under njunctions from General Pope twice
% be sent Also
@ about hSo @ T wanting o aV na n hs n ma %
brief shall prove this charge of Pope not only false but
serious arising from the
the next day New proof is ready all these points.
against him. based on his action at the second Bull!
rum OF the 27th and 2Sth August, s1s62, General
Porter says that the wen known 'joint orders to
General Mcdowell and himself was according 70 all
testimony McDowell's included, freely compiled
with, and that when McD0well-under the "discre.
tion'' given under the .Ioint orderIelected @ TO to
whole force, he left Porter confronted by all OF
Longstreets force, double and more IN number, in
position selected, and, as Longstrees now writes
'.mOst anxious TO bring on fight"
Porter claims that he desired 10 show this on his
f as against popes a nc Sharg nGS tnns
own testimony TO prove that he Porter was right
and Pope ana Mcdowell wrong. He claims that
should not have been taken, as he (Mc-
DOwelD admitted "want OF memory" on
by member Of the court who though acting npye jS
dicaiy IN Porter's case lett the bench to testify
against him. The details OF the movements OF
McDowells and Porters corps under the joint order
from Pope. well the corr0boratve testimony Of
federal and rebel generals obtained since Porter's
trial, are very full and, Porter claims, Overwhem-
ingly IN his favor and against Pope; and he chal.
lenges his accusers to meet him before a military
tribunal OF the best army men. With the full EVIL
dence he has to present. he says, they dare not
meet the truth.
order from Pope given at twenty minutes past four
r. NJ, August 20, 1862, was not delivered to him till
two hours LATER then too late to execute 1t; and as
this was deemed one OF the most vital points against
him the trial, he adduces elaborate proof to
tain his asssrton and goes on to show that accord
ing to the fun evidence now In hand his action not
only the best for his corps, but. according to
the universal testimony OF Lee Longstreet and others
commanding the enemy's forces, saved Pope from
total capture rOut" AB this result was just the
opposite OF what Pope claimed on Porters trial,
Porter asserts that II he makes good his statements
by ample ana new ana GSneder'
vlctOn Is proved most UNJUST He asks, therefore,
to be heard Referring to the new evidence ne pro.
poses to adduce, Porter says:-
evidence which should have been the time from
following reasons:-
Fra-That the times and circumstances checked free
Ss esrn IN. by the
Of War early in the trial to send aids to the Fred
THirdihat when did send, my responsibility my
aids to the to and o @ as and others
Wnesss Was S could furnish
not apprsSd and
would tss very important ias II my behalf did
In the former case Of course lost not only the benefit Of
had what other persons could prove my favor. ii
the latter compelled to produce witnesses without
facts they Sers POSSESSED Of, how es them fully
@ % s
and on his assurance that he would secure their carly at
and the They give additional grounds for
rchearDg
Quoting from Senator Chandler's speech, he
You say, "wbat business to him whether be
to not?" OFTEN may be business to officer
fan on the dAnk of corps Of the enemy order
o h not tie es Ssa y %
have him and the army Of The
ons fs Do no no
sweep away by such proof every atom OF the charge
stand on.
Again, quoting from Senator Chandler's speech ht
wrlteS:-
The final point of your speech is as follows:--
rhere other point to which wish to alude. During
this very during the very pendency of the tria Fit
ha
would NOT
name but VIII give his sworn testimony taken down With
| use In denying it,"
TO evidence seem. scarcely worthy Of notice fol-
the person that makes statement which, II true. 10
daning In its character and then begs the concealmeu
his is not worthy Of recognition BY That
scented by had any elect upon the minds OF Senator
cannot conceivenany OF them being lawyers, who know
that such evidence would not be admitted before any tr
buna My reply to sir is that the statement by whom
made and however testified to, 10 false par
Aside from general character for retience whe
In the certainly had no inducement TO lose sense
pending trial and falsely assert in ones presence jus
what General Pope fortyfve days in endeavoring
prove Where this reliable witness theny Why did
then and there testify to confessed guilty What
strained him for all these years. and why does lie no,
recolcct produce evidence which,, II credible, woul
| long ago have ended my appeal! l am ashamed
Offer to be compelled to offer argument against assertion
pnpabiy conrved and wholly unsustaned bv probab
tiles wholly at with my whole life and conduct
You that after careful investigation for foryve day
the court unanimously rendered verdict against me- Thi
have been but cannot knowtt unless some men
ber violated his OATH n0 to discover disclose thu
unless required to give evidence thereof (Which has
been done) before court Of justice in due course OF law
But IL the question not what the court did decd
but what be decided with the new evidence
to present. and must know that the decision OF tn
does not affect the justice Of demand that the ne
! evidence shall be heard In my defence.
| The document concludes as fOll0ws:--
Plain and honest will look with suspicion upon opp
ston such request especially when the request mat
whose life has been spent an ohcer In the serv
with any Of his Plain and honest people
vtn tn n