Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-14
Pitz John Porter.
Prom the Washington Post.

| fi"h ths warrington Post.
One Of the questions that will add TO
the political excitement of the next ges.
sion of Congress Is that Of restoring
Gen. Fitz John Porter 10 his rank in
the army, and Of allowing him nav for
the time he has been 80 uniustIy de.
priycd OF his position. This subject
will lead to a bitter political discussion.
and very many interesting facts will be
developed. When the board which re-
! opened and reviewed the Porter case
submitted its report, certain leading
/ Republican statesmen Immediately urg.
ed Mr.. Hayes to inform them of the de.
cision. In his usual round about way
! he complied with their request, and
! thus the news that Gen. Porter had
been vindicated became public. Gen.
! Garfield, lack Chandler, and other
| prominent Republicans insisted that
the report should not be laid before
| Congress, Eat least for the present. :"
They urged that the finding of the
! Board was "A stigma upon the original
court martial and upon President Lin.
coin, who approved its finding; that
political influence had induced the yer.
dict of vindication, and that Hayes
duty TO his party should prompt him to
render that verdict null and void that
10 make the vindic icaiion complete by re.
storing Gen. Porter 10 his rank and paw,
would prove advantageous TO the Dem.
ocratic party and injurious TO the Re.
publican party. Senator Randolph la.
bored industriously 10 counteract the
influence Of the radical politicians and
had frequent interviews with Mr. Hayes.
lie reminded the de fdcto President that
hc had ordered the review Of the case.
and had made his own selection Of the
officers 10 perform that duty; that the
board was composed Of honorable and
distinguished men, who had performed
their duty faithfully. and such a course
hs that advised by Garfield would be a
public rcptoach 10 those officers: that
the only honorable action open was to
submit the report TO Congress for its &C.
ton. Hayes was kept between these
two fires for weeks He was inclined TO
comply with the demands Of his party,
but the public expressions, through
newspapers and otherwise, AS 10 the
Porter case admonishcd him that the
call FOR justice WAS too loud 10 bc mis-.
understood. lie finally pursued a course
IN keeping with his nature, and com
promised. 1t was his duty 10 either ap.
prove or disapproye the finding Of the
Board. and transmit the report TO Con.
rrcss. II he approved there was moth,
ing else 10 say, but Il he disapproved he
would have to give his reasons for 70
doing. There was absolutely nothing
upon which TO base disspproyAl. and
hc ssid TO the friends of Gen. Porter
that TO approve the finding would Ger.
taiuly array his party leaders against
him. He admitted the justice Of the
finding. and acknowledged that great
injustice had been done Gen. Porter,
but he couldn't take issue vita the
Radical leaders, even TO do right. Then
said Gen. PoTtcr's friends send the
report and all the testimony to Congress
without approval or disapproyal. Put
the whole subject before Congress and
let that body do what II believes to be
right" Hayes asscnted 10 this proposi.
ton. but was prevented from putting IL
into effect for two weeks by the impor.
tunities Of Chandler and Garfield. They
would not consent TO anything that
would lead TO a ventilation OF the man.
her in which the condemnation Of Por.
]
personal matter with Hayes, saying that
he had served upon the courtmArtial,
and TO reverse the verdict would be an
imputation upon his honor. But wha,
can do :" asked Hayes despairingly.
Garfield wanted the report TO remain an
executive secret. and insisted, at all
events, that IL should not be sent TO
Congress during the extra session; but
ten. Porter's friends prevailed, and the
bare report was transmitted. senator
Randolph, as chairman Of the senate
military committee, hoped TO bring
the matter before that body during the
continuance ofthe recent session, but the
important legislation in hand prevented
hum. lie intends. however, to get the
question before Congress early in lie
ccmber next in the shape Of bill to
restore Gen Porter 10 his proper rank,
and pay him for the time he has been
uniusuy deprived Of that position. The
back pay will amount in the aggregate
to $4,000 for the rank Gen Porter
held when dismissed. His friends insist
that allowance shall be made in his
favor for the promotion he would no
doubt have earned. had he not stood in
AAt WY VI bAbtlllfIs. NuN uFFt.
Porter has informed them that he
wanted only the complete vindication
10 which he was entitled, and that a
restoration to his old rank would be
entirely satisfactory, On the very day
that Hayes sent the report TO Congress,
Zach Chandler and Garfield spent an
hour or two trying TO prevail upon him
not 10 do 50. They made several calls
at the White House for that purpose,
and were very indignant because the
acting President would not do their
bidding. The persistence with which
Garfield and Chandler pursued Hayes
was not prompted by love Of party 30
much as by love Of self. Both of them
had personal reasons OF a strong mature
for suppressing the last report. The |
testimony taken by the board of inquiry |
when made public, will condemn them |
both; IL will show that they were,
while the war was raging scheminu for /