Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-10
FITZ JOHN PORTER INDICATED.


Prom the Philadelphia Tim,s
The decision of the court of inquiry
in the case of Fitz John Porter is one
of the most important judgments rem
dcrcd in ruy case since the conflict of
arms ceased between the North and
the South. One of the most accom-
p.ished, ,killful and tried soldiers Of
the army was summoned from his
high command, after one OF the many
military disasters Of the war, and ac-
cuscd before court-martial of delib-
crate disobediencc to his superior off.
Ger and pcrfdy to his countrys cause
n the face of the enemy. lie was
tried in Il llood.tidc of passion, when
atoncmcnt WAS demanded for the ter.
rlblc blunders and wautun sacrifices Of
incompetency or worse i'll the direction
OF our armies. His case was heard
with all the appearance of fairness,
aud he was condemned TO bc dismissed
from the army he had adorned and
made an alien to the country in whose
cause he had offered his life Indeed,
with such malignant earnestucss was
his prosecution pressed that the court
narrowly escaped the judgment of
death against the accused soldier.
Sixteen years have elapsed since
Fitz John Porter was dismissed from
the army in disgrace and solemuly al.
judged Ineligible to any position OF
honor or trust under the national gov
crnment. He was helpless and had
but to bow to the harsh decision; but
when the strife ended and the surgcs
of passion began to abaie, aud when
the evidence could be readily obtained
and clearly presented in refutation Of
the specific accusations preferred
against him, he appealed to President
johnson and next to Grant for u re-
hearing of his case, but both denied il.
President HAYES finally hcarscncd to
the petition of the condemned soldier
for a full and impartia! review Of the
Judgment that made his life aimlcss
and hopeless, aud Generals j. VI. Scho.
field, Alfred II. Terry and George w.
Getty, three Of the ablcst and most
trusted Of our military ofiee-. were
selected To- hear the case. They have
done so with the utmost patience and
their report must startlc the country
aud the world ut the measure of in
Justice that may be inflicted upon Il
faithful defender of the nation in it,
greatest peril by the accidental power
Of scli-hncss, jealousy and iucompc-
tency and the criminal prostitution of
military authority. The chapter of
our history that condemned Fitz John
Porter to infamy has now been ctiaced
from the thrilling annals of the war,
aud it is proven that the accusers were
of those most responsible for the de-
feat they imputed to their abler and
noblcr fcllow-soldicr, aud that not
only was the chief accuscr among the
guilty, but that two Of the members
of the Court who pronounced the ter
rible judgment against Porter were
among the authors of the military dis.
aster for which they condemned the
man who, a. is now decided, was lobe.
dent, subordinate, faithful and Judi
ciuus," and who "savod the Union
army from disaster" in the engage.
mcnt for which Porter was condemned
Such a judgment, given after the most
exhaustive inquiry and the most de
liberatc consideration. by such Gcncr-
rails rs Schofeld, Terry aud Getty,
furnishes one of the most startling
records in the history of the country.
and it is not wonderful that their de-
cision is followed by the unanimous
recommendation that justice requires
the restoration of General Porter to
the position in the army of which the
unjust sentence deprived him, "such
restoration to take effect from the date
Of his dismissal from the service"
At last, after sixteen years of ex-
posure to the obloquy and resentments
of patriotic people, Fitz John Porter
has been vindicated, and full effect
will doubtless be promptly given to
the judgment just rendered but can
the claims of justice be satisfied by
the restoration Of the wrongfully dis.
graced soldier TO his rank and laurels,
while those who falsely accused and
condemned him are permitted to hold
their commissions and escape retribu-
tion for their double crime against n
faithful officer and an impcriled
nation? This is now the important
question for the army to consider, aud
If such monstrous wrong shall es-
cape the shame and punishmeft il has
sojustly earned, there must remain an
indclible blot upon the military hon.
ors Of the Republic.
A cr-pesuu-rx-.xr.ss xrb.oi, e .al.a.,ot,..