Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-02-21
F0RTY-FlRST CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings,
MONDAY. Eehnrarr or

L nlsed States, which was read and r.ferraa
the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Wilson, from Committee on Militar,
Aiairs, reported resolution donating certsir
apfrred cannon for the erection Of a monu
L, ent at West Point.
Also. bah in relation to public buildings used
for mil taTy purposes.
Mr.. Fenton introduced a blu to provide for an
American line OF pass niger and mail steamship,
between the United States, aud one or mors
ScaI6iLayan ports. Referred 10 the Commit
tee on Post Offices.
Mr.. Chandler offered a resolution reoues,ins
the President to communicate any papers re-
Porter.
MIR. Chandler said it was lime that the truth
Of history should be vindicated in this matter,
President Lincoln and Mr.. stanton. who were
more ccnve'sant with them than any other mem
lad passed from the stage. He Mr.. c. had
been officially concerned in the Investigation OF
this matter, and he and ex-senator Wade knew
more about IL thar any man now living. He
had promised General Pope, seven years ago,
that he world vindicate him. IL he had te do IA
from his seat In the Senate. When General
McClellan's army Oh the James was forced into
retreat; gold went up 10 am enormous figure;
our bonds went SO low that it seemed they
would never touch bottom; the whole coun-
try was demoralzed. General Pope, as
he says, was instructed to cover Wash. !.
ineton at all hazards. During those
went into the War office, and the whole subjec,
turned on how General McClellans army was
10 be saved General Wadsworth spoke of four
different plans, the last of which was to create
was the plan that was substantially adopted.
General Pope says, In his report, he was to make
diversion on the enemys main lines, 80 As TO
enable McClellan's army to take boat at Harri-
sons Landing and 60 to Aqua Greek or Alex
andria. General Pope, at the same time begged
70 be released, but his request was not acceded
TO- General Pope's sole object was TO save
McClellan's army. In his testimony before the
committee on the Conduct OF the War at that
time, he stated that his force was only "A OOo
and this distributed along 100 miles of defense'
In answer to a question Of his (Chandlerl Gen.
Pore said there was nothing more likely than
that he would be fallen upon and whipped; but
he said that he could save his men, with the loss
of his artillery. General Pope then perpetrated
a ruse dc sserre. He sent his scouts all through
the mountains of Virginia to tell the people that
ne mad l2o GOO men, He fooled the newspaper
them the people of the North, and he fooled the
rebels. They came down on him, and McClel-
Ian was able to get OFF without SO much as
atpop-gun being fired at him. General Pope
Fought for eleven days; he saved two
armies, and made the most brilliant cam
!aign that had been made up to that
correspondence in August, 1862, between Gen.
Mcclellan and Gen. Halleck, ordering the for
mer to move his troops from Aqua Creek to the
defence Of Washington. Gen. Mcclellan in
sisted that the army could not be moved in less
than month, whereas il was moved in fourteen
days. On the 10Th of August Gen. Haileck tel
graphed to Gen. Pope approving of all he had
done: Gen: Halleck again on the 2ist tele-
graphed TO Pope to stand firm, not to Weld an
inch, and to fight like the devil. Gen Pope ear
ried ont this order to the letter; he did tight for
call it. Then Lee had his whole army in front
OF him. On the 2fth OF August, six days befor,
Pope was overwhelmed, thirty thousand Union
troops were within twenty six miles of Pope and
rot one Of them ever reached him. On August
General Pope sent word to General Fitz
John Porter, who commanded the best and
freshet corps in the army, TO move forward to
BIitton's station at daylight. General Porter
made no attempt to obey this order. he said his
troops were too tired The enemy did not make
the attack the next morning, but it was ne
thanks to Fitz John Porter that Hooker, who
was out of ammunition, was not fallen upon and
annihilated. For this disobedience of orders
FItz John Porter rendered himself liable 10
court-martial and death. II is the duty of a
gene raj to obey orders. no matter what the diff
hculties may be. single DAYS forced march
would have brought these thirty thousand
troops to the scene of battle. After repeated
orders General Mcclellan finally started
franklin's corps, which made eighteen mile
in three days. General King said that il
one single brigade of FranklIn's corps had
of that Saturday, we would have sent the rebels
kitng to Richmond. But It is with Fitz John
Porter L am dealing. He was ordered to move
the testimony that Porter coolly read the orders
and made no attempt TO march, although he
was within sound OF the firing all day. Now,
General Porter says he has new Testimony to
report TO the rebel government, says Jeb Stu
arts cavalry tied bushes to their horses tails
and went mp and down the road and made the
corps of the enemy. This was too much for
Porter's nerve. He says he would have been
cut to pieces if he had gone into the fight. Sup
he nas aas fssa ssaa cut af fS What
His business was to obey orders. There
he lay all day with his fresh troops. and
made no attempt to help Pope. Gen. Porter
was allowed forty five days TO defend himself a
most unprecedented time before a military tri-
bunal; and that court, after forty-five DAYS most
careful investigation, brought in a unanimous
verdict Of guilty. Many of the members of the
court were in favor of the death penalty, and il
Is believed that would have been adjudged but
for fear that Mr.. Lincoln's kind heart would not
have executed it. Fitz John Porter said in the
hearing Of my informant, q man i'm the employ
of Congress, and whose sworn testimony was
taken down two minutes after: " 1t is no use OF
true to Pope! What does that mean? 1t meant
not true to his Government; it meant
that he was traitor to his country.
Not true to Pope mearA the loss of
20,Oc0 men on that disastrous day. Had he
been true, jackson would have been cut to
pieces, and there would have been nothing to
stay our victorious march to Richmond. Not
true to Pope meant the battle of Antietam with
its cory heap Of slain, 1t meant the battle OF
Fredericksburg and the Wilderness 1t meant
the loss of 800 900 men and s2 600 COO, 900. Ftz
JOun snOulQ tnank his NTO0 that he lives.
said to Gen. Pope after that campaign that
there was only one thing disapproved OF in his
conduct, and that was that he ever allowed
Fitz John Porter to leave that field alive.
Mr.. Wilson had first known General Porter
as an accomplished and gallant soldier and as
the commander Of the finest CORPS in the army.
He had certainly done great service at Hanover
Court House, at Gaines Mills and at Malvern
HILL He lMr. WI had thought that, with the
testimony before them, IL would have been inn
possible for that court martial to have come to
any other conclusion. But IL was claimed that
new facts could be brought out, and as Q matter
or Justice to soldier Of the army, he had united
with others In asking re-0penfng Of this case
He did IL Is q matter Of justice to Gen. Porter,
who, he understood, did not want to 60 back In
the army, and did not want any whitewashing
report, but merely the opportunity TO clear him
self of what he considered IN unjust stimputation.
The Vice President gave notice that he ex-
pected to be ont Of town Tomorrow, and Mr..
Anthony was selected - President pro TEN.
MT. Chandler, from Committee on Commerce,
then called mp the following bills, which were
House joint resolution for the refundine of
hospital money collected OF the whaling bark
House joint resolution to ser or exchange the
site Of the custom-hOuse I'm the city Of Nah
vile, Tenn, that more suitable location may
Joint resolution to authorize the secretarv oy
Treasury 70 issue An American register to the
BIN to change the boundaries OF the co,,..t,or
district Of Brasos de Santiago in the State Of
Texas.