Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-05-30
PORTER'S
Case MIST be Finally Disposed Of
Hayes Cannot Afford 10 Permit
Himself to be Used ia the In
terest OF the Enemies Of
Brave and Patriotic
Oficer.

Washington Post: 1.-THE implacable enc
mics of Fitz John Porter have not been in
active since the board of inquiry in his case
recommended the reversal of the sentence
pronounced against him by the original
court martial. Some of the members of that
tribunal have shown peculiar bitterness.
They oppose the action recommended by
Generals Scho6eld, Terry and Getty, and in
sist that if anything Is to be done In the
premises, the entire case must be reopened.
1t is not very strange that they should not be
delighted with the emphatic declaration of
the board of inquiry that General Porter is
entirely innocent of the charges on which
they declared him guilty seventeen years ago.
They could scarcely be expected to applaud
such a finding, for it does undoubtedly imply
that they were mistaken, or worse. But the
best thing they Can do, the most becoming
and the surest to bring them mental quletude
In the end, is to hold their peace. The EVIL
dence presented at West Point conclusively
and overwhelmingly disproves the allegations
on which Pope and his friends succeeded In
branding General Porter with disgrace. 1t is
shown beyond the faintest shadow of doubt
that instead Of being traitor, General Por-
ter was brave, patriotic, Jealous and able
commander; that he did ali that could be
done to insure the success of the Union cause
and to avert the consequences CT Pope s
blunderings. We understand that some oil
ings of Generals Scho6eld, Terry and Getty
have been rumaging over musty documents,
such as the reports of the congressional COM
mittee on the conduct of the war, and that
on the strength OF matter thus dug out of the
dust, they demand that Mr.. Hayes shall with
hold his approval of the findings of the West
Point board. This will not do. The 'evi.
dence' in that old report would not be &C
cepted in q magistrates court In a case Of
petty larceny. Much of it is pure fiction.
To talk of putting that sort of testimony up
against the sworn evidence brought out by
the board of inquiry is wildly absurd. II
is the general opinion of the honest masses
that the persecution Of Porter has
been carried too far, and there will be little
tolerance shown for anybody who proposes
to give the wise another turn. For more than
half an average lifetime this gallant soldier
and true man has been branded as an infa-
nous traitor. Year after year he has hum
bly, petitioned for hearing, alleging that
injustice had been done In his case, and that
he could prove his entire innocence of the
charges on which he was sacrificed. Again
and again was his petition refused, and he
was turned away to live on under cruel
oboquy. He has suffered Unreasonable
wrong, while the man who caused his ruin,
and the instruments employed for his degra.
dalton, have dWelt in the sunlight of pros
perity. Aud now that his long deferred hope
has been realized in the complete Vindicatior
that he promised his friends; now that a
beard of the best general officers in the army,
after mature and thorough investigation, haE
declared him innocent, it smacks too strongly
of malignant hate from his enemies to still
follow him up with their undyinR anImosity
They will consult their own interest by com
ing to permanent halt"