Arizona citizen., 1879-04-11
THE CITIZEN.
FRID.4Y '.
APRIL Ii. 1879.
TELEGRAMS.
Congressional News.

[ WASHINGTON, April 3.-In tn, House, the general debate was resum . ed earlier than usual to-day. Single | ton opened, and Weaver followed raising a laugh by describing how thu [ two political parties in the House, af ter waging war during the week, me together every Saturday and voted ! like brothers, to carry over the session until the next Tuesday, so as to pre-
 vent the party of the center, the Green , packers, from introducing measure;
 for financial relief. Delamatyr Jones Wright and Hawley, also made speech es.
 ! The Democratic caucus has deter mined to retain the old Senate em
 ployes. The sentiment of the caucus
 was in favor of restricting the business of the session to the appropriation
 bills Harris, of Tennessee, introduc
 ed joint resolution authorizing the President to appoint three commis
 sioners to negotiate treaty with Mex
 ico, with q view of encouraging com
 mercial relations, and the investment
 of American capital in Mexico.
 II Francis a Walker was confirmed as I Superintendent of the census.
 ! The Etzjohn Porter Case and Report. ! WASHINGTON, April 5.-The report
 of the board of officers in the case of
 Fitzjohn Porter, says that new evi-
 dence in addition to the old has placed
 beyond a question many important
 facts heretofore the subject of dispute,
 and in respect to which radically erro-
 neous opinions were entertained by
 General Porter's accusers, and doubt
 less by the cOurt-martial that pro-
 nounced him guilty. The result has
 been to establish, beyond reasonable
 doubt, all the facts essential to the formation of a correct judgment upon
 the merits of the case. Considering
 the charge upon which General Por-
 ter was found guilty, that he did not
 move his command on the night of
 August 27, 1862, in obedience to an
 order from General Pope, the Board reports that it was manifestly physi-
 cal impossibility to march over that
 road at night, that nothing would have
 been gained by attempting it, that il
 would have been wiser if General Por- ter had delayed the attempt still long CT than he did, that he had exercised a very ordinary discretion of corps commander, that it was his plain duty to so exercise it, and that one of the witnesses concerning the order had given inconsistent statements, and as to still another witness on the point, his testimony as to the delivery of the dispatch, was so completely broken down tha, no weight whatever was at- tached to it, while on the other hand, the testimony as to the time of deliv. cry of the f 30 order, by such officers as General Sickles and Colonels Locke and Monteith and several other wit nesses all go to prove that the order was not delivered until about sun down, and this testimony has been confirmed by the production of a dis patch from Porter to Mcdowell date six, p. m. of the day in question, the terms of which show that Porter could not then have been in possession ofthe 1 30 order. As soon as the 4 30 order was received Porter ordered an attack but darkness came on and he wisely further preparations to cease. The report, concluding this part of the says that when the dark ness came on, the rear of McDowell's column of weary troops was passing by the rear of Porter's column. still several miles from their destined place in the field. The Union army was not even yet ready for battle. Porter's duty during the afternoon of the 27th of August was too plain and simple to admit of discussion, and the Board are unable to find anything in it subject to and much less, deserving of | censure or condemnation. The evi- ! dence of animus ceases to be material ] in view of the evidence of his soldier l ly and faithful conduct; but it is our duty to say that the indiscretion and | unkind terms in which General Porter expressed his distrust of the capacity 1 of his superior commanding officer cannot be defended, and to that indis- | cretion was due, in great measure, the misrepresentation of both his motives and his conduct; and his subsequent condemnation. Having thus given the reasons for our conclusions, we have the honor to report in accordance with the Presidents order, that in our opinion justice requires at his hands such action as may be necessary 10 an nul and set aside the findings and sen -ence of the cOurtmartial in the case of Major-General Porter, and torestore him to the position of which that sen .ence deprives him, such restoration to .ake effect from the date of his dismis- sal from the service; signed by J. M. Schofield, Afford II. Terry, and George W. Getty.
 WASHINGTON, April 4.-In the House he amendment offered yesterday. by |, New, to section of the Army Bill. | hat the repeal therein provided shall Il