The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-11
POTTER IN TROUBLE.

adsge that ''uneasy rests the head that wears
a crown" The last step he made towards
grasping prize for which he has been long
ing all bis life was attended by circumstances
that not only brought him personally into
discredit with those who had previously
thought we'll of him, but that laid him open to
the attacks of enemies who are as unforgiving
as they are unscrupulous. Yesterday, in the
National House of Representatives, the dis
cussion of bill to reinstate naval construc-
tor who resigned some five years ago was
made the occasion of bitter perso nal assaults
upon Porter by Messrs. Banks and Butler. 1t
is not pleasant to read the coarse language
which these Representatives used towards
the highest officer of the navy,
but it is less pleasant to know
that it is deserved. Porter was long known
to be a mean trickster and intriguant, who
would resort to any underhand measures to
promote his own personal ends and to ag-
grandize the particular branch of the naval
service to which he belonged, but many per-
sons were 10th to believe the rumors afoat
with regard to him until he himself furnished
over his own signature more than sufficient
proof of the fact that he is a sycophant,
slanderer, falsifer, and intriguer of the most
contemplate description. While he was
slanderipg Grant behind his back he was
fatteripg him to his face, and contrived to Sd
worm himself into his confidence that when
the General of the Army became President
of the United States one of the first things he
did was to make his friend Porter virtual auto-
crat of the Navy Department. How Porter
exercised the irresponsible authority thus
committed to his hands every one knows.
One of his first performances was to
vent his spite against the staff
officers, degrading them from the rank they
had previously held, altering their uniforms
so as to make as much outward distinction
as possible between them and the line, and
fighting, with all the pertinacity of his
nature, all the efforts of the staff to obtain
justica at the hands of the Navy Department
or Congress. The bill giving positive rank to
the staff, which passed the House several
weeks ago, has, through the influence of
Porter and his satellites, been SO tamparel
with in the Senate committee that if it should
pass in the shape in which it was reported
yesterday, the staff will practically be in just
the same predicament in which they now are,
and the whole subject will have to be gone
over again at some future time. The oppo-
sition of Porter and the other line officers to
the reasonable demands of the staff
officers for such legislation as will
secure them respectful treatment on
board ship proceeds from nothing
but mean selfshness and a contemplate
pride of station that should receive no en-
couragement from Congress. The Senate
will do a great wrong if it refuses to pass the
Stevens bill, giving the staff officers positive
rank. in substantially the same shape in
which it came from the House. The objec-
tions urged against it are of the most trivial
character, and as the country is heartily tired
of the whole disgraceful squabble, it is the
duty of Congress to put an end to it by doing
impartial justice to the officers who claim the
protection of the laws to secure them from
oppression and insult.
With regard to the matter discussed yester-
day in the House we are not at all certain
that the ex naval constructor named is entitled
to reinstatement. The House, however,
passed the bill by the large majority of 143
yeas to 81 nays. This result was doubtless
due to the statements made by Messrs. Banks
and Butler that he had been forced out of the
service by the intrigues of Porter, and the
vote of the House may be taken as an indica-
tion that the influence of the individual who
fills the high Office of Admiral of the United
States Navy is practically at an end, SO far at
least as the popular branch of Congress is
concerned.
The following are the remarks made by
General Butler yesterday in regard to Porter,
and we invite the attention of our readers to
them, as they show up the Admirals peculiar
methods of doing business with considerable
cleaTness:-
General Butler said that this was no new quarrel
between Mr. Hanscom and Admiral Porter Ad-
miral Porter had been young lieutenant at the
Portsmouth Navy Yard when Mr. Hanscom was
Naval Constructor there. Tue civilian ald the
maTnet had come In contact, and there had been
laid the foundation OF an enmity that had lasted n
life time. Mr.. Hanscom believed from that hour
ne had been hunted by Admiral Porter In every CON
celYable way.
MT. HaDscom to resign. AS 70 the aildayts sent 10
the House, there was nothing so dangerous as such
things; ana II he were 10 produce bundle OF aii-
daFlts which lie had, there were some gentlemen
who had spoken on this subject who would be hanged
without lndge or jury. qaughter.) Who was op-
Navy. not the committee on Naval Affairs but MIR"
FOrler-"AdmiTal' Porter, by the grace OF the Sc
nate. iaughter) Admiral PJrter's services
thought they woold be Inde sTuctble All along The
MtslsslPpl were guns captuT by the army aud
haIked Dy Porter, aken by the navy under the
command OF ID ID Porter" aud 80 IOug az the white
pant remained, so long WCCld the memory OF Por-
teIs deeds remain in the minds OF those who
! y was easy to make such a record as that
II man woutd Oniy DlOw his own trumpet
i9qa graa, enough ne could ,S make himself the
could strike down the great aud glorious Farragut
aad SEND nm TO the grave villa the feeling teat his