Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-03-30

Mr.. Chandler. l offer the follow
ing resolution, and 1 shall crave tn
indulgence of the Senate to make
few explanatory remarks, and per
haps had better do so before tn,
resolution is read.
The Vice President. The Senate
from Michigan offers a resolution.
Mr.. Sumner. Let the resolution b.
read.
The Chief Clerk read as follows:
Re,olred, That the President be requestet
I to communicate TO the Senate, II in his 1udg
ment not inconsistent with the public in
terest, any recent correspondence or infor
nation in his possession in relation TO IN
case OF FitZ John Porter.
/ Mr.. Chandler. Mr.. President,
( hold in my hand the appeal TO thu
( President of the United States for
re-eXamination of the proceedings o
! the gene al cOuTt-martial in his case
/ by Major Gen. FitZ John Porter, witt
accompanying documents" Mr.. Por
ter says, in the beginning, that hi:
application to the President is
"FTrst, To remit the sentence of the cOur
( martial now in force against me OF disquall
ication forever 10 hold any Office OF trust o.
HlOLAA uAANAtA aAAC Npf fNAAA--AN--A - 49,
Second. To be nominated to the Senate
! for restoration 10 my rank in the Army, un
der the late act of Congress allowing tha
mode of redress Of wrong by court-nar
tial.''
He says in this appeal"
at matter of general information tina;
the allegations against me were inspired by
the faiiure'Cf General POpe's campaign IN
Virginia His friends undertook TO main
tain that he committed no error, and to at
tribute the result of his operations to the de
fection and reasonable misconduct OF GER
tain officers and soldiers Of the Army of the
Potomac who preferred tObe commanded by
General Mcclellan"
Mr.. President, it seems to me that
the time has come when the truth OF
history should be vindicated while
there are living witnesses to testify in
the case. Many of those who were
conversant with the campaign of Gen.
Pope in Virginia and the case of Fitz
John Porter have passed from the
stage. President Lincoln and Mr..
Stanton were the two men in the ma
ton who most thoroughly understood
all the facts in that case. General
Wadsworth, who at that time COM
manded the defenses of Washington,
was taken into consultation, and was
pretty thoroughly cOnversant with
the facts.
But, Mr.. President, it became my
duty, in an official capacity, as a
member of the Committee on the
Conduct of the War, to investigate
personally all these facts. Two of the
members of the committee have pass
ed away; and the two that remain
who were, perhaps, more conversant
with them than any other two men
now living are ex-senator from Ohio,
Mr.. Wade, and myself. By permis
sion of the Senate, l propose, as brief
ly as possible to state these facts.
Lam induced TO do so for another
reason. About seven years ago to-
day, upon yonder sofa in this Cham
Der, I made a voluntary pledge to
Major General Pope that justice
should be done to him and to his
campaign in the valley of Virginia,
even although l were called upon to
vindicate him from my seat in the
Senate. Seven wears have passed
away, and many who were then con-
versant with the facts have gone to
their final rest; and now l desire an
opportunity, as briefly as possible, TO
fulfill that voluntary pledge upon my
part.
Most Senators present are aware of
the state of intense excitement which
existed after General McClellan's
command retired to Turkey Bend on
the james river. The country was
demoralized the premium on gold
rose to an enormous height, and at
the same time our bonds fell until il
seemed that no bottom could be found.
Unless that army of General McClel-
lan's, then cOrnered up 10 Turkey
Bend, We're saved itseemed as though
the country was lost.
Before that time General Pope had
been called 10 take command of the
''army of Virginia" And here, sir,
must express my regret that l have
so long delayed this act of justice. l
regret that uid not say what ] am
about to say seven years ago; but how
could [ or any other man suppose that
so many of the then living witnesses
would pass from the stage2 General
Pope says:
at was the wish of the Government that
should cover the city Of Washington from
any attacks from the direction Of Richmond,
make such dispositions as were necessary TO
assure the safety of the valley Of the Shen-
and at the same time so operate
upon the enemy's lines of communication
IN the direction OF GOrdonsvtlle and Char
lotteSville as to draw OF, II possible, n con-
force of the enemy from Richmond
and thus relieve the operations against that
city of the army Of the Potomac"
This was while the army of the Po-
tomac still lay in front of Richmond;
but few days later those instructions
were somewhat changed. And here
permit me to say that during those
dark days, on one Sabbath afternoon l
called at the War Office accidentally.
1 there found Mr.. Stanton, General
the Senator from Massa-
chusetts, [Mr. Wilson, and perhaps
one other person. The question
under discussion was that which ex-
ercised the public mind universally,
not only here but throughout the
country, "HOw can Major General
army be saved?" l re-
member the remarks of Gen. Wads-
worth on that occasion. This was
simply an accidental conversation,
and l give what General Wadsworth
then said as the Judgment of an emil
nent man then living. He said: "It
seems to me there are four WAYS to
save that army. The first would be
for it to advance Immediately uDon
Had it done so instantly
after the battle of Malvern, 1 believei,
[ am giving the words of Gen. Wads-
would have gone to Rich
nond without the loss of a thousand
men; but that army is demoralized.
md l doubt very much whether il
will be safe to order that advance
The second would be for it to fight its
way down to Yorktown; but this
would be likewise hazardous under
.aking, as it would have a victorious
army of the enemy on its front, flank.
md rear, and it must necessarily lose
| large amount of baggage, perhaps ar
.illeTy, and many men. The third
would be assemble steamboats, enough
It Harrison's Landing in one night TO
AXE on board all the men, with all
he small-arms of the army, abandon
he artillery and baggage trains, and
ave your men; but this would in
eur an immense loss of material,