Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-05
FITz JOHN PORTER.

The latest gossip relative to the case of
Gen. Fitz John Porter is of decided inter
est, not only to officers of the army, but to
the public at large. Our readers are all, no
doubt, familiar with the facts of the case
of the court martial, conviction and cashier
ing of the general in August, 1862, for dis
obedience of orders and neglect of duty on
the field of battle. The chief witnesses
against him we're Gems. Pope and Mcdowell
and their aids, who swore that an order had
been sent to him and delivered, requiring a
certain disposition of his forces SO as to sup
port the adjacent columns of the army of the
Potomac. On the assembling Of the board
of inquiry last summer these witnesses fatty
contradicted their previous testimony, and
it was shown beyond controversy that great
injustice had been done to Gen. Porter.
The board accordingly recommended that
the verdict of the court martial be annulIed
and Gen. Porter restored to his proper rank
in the service and receive the pay aud emol-
uments to which he would have been enti-
tied If he had remained continuously in the
service. This recommendation was sent to
MIR. Hayes for executive approval. This it
did not receive, owing to the opposition of
Garfield, who was member of the original
court martial, and other Republicans, who
convinced Mr.. Hayes that such an act of
justice to long-suffering, honorable sol
der would be reflection upon the Republi-
can party. Instead, the proceedings of the
board were sent to Congress without recon-
mendation for its action.
Gen. Porter has become accustomed to
disappointments in this matter, and
has not, therefore, mourned greatly
over this neglect of a manifest duty.
The verdict of the board of review COM
pletely exonerating him has served to stimu-
late him to renewed activity, for his vindi.
cation will not be complete until he has
been restored to his full rank. He has en-.
listed the services Of several influential
friends who have determined that as soon as
Congress assemblies in December his case
will be brought up for immediate action.
It is proposed to remove the last stigma
upon his good name by restoring him to his
rank, which in the regular order of promo
ton would now be that of major general.
In order to give him command Gen. Nc
Dowell, his principal accuser, will be retired,
and Gen. Porter given his place. There is
sort of poetic justice in this, though it is
to be regretted that Mcdowell cannot be
made to suffer disgrace for his self-confessed
perjury. He was jealous of Porter's fame
and popularity. and there is no doubt but he
and Pope resel ved to crush him. It was
cruel conspiracy and only too successfully
carried out. But in this case, as in all
Others, "time at last sets all things even"
We trust that Gen. Porter will be fully
successful in his endeavor. Too complete
atonement for the wrong done him cannot
be made. His long continued disgrace, the
repeated failures he has met in his endeayors
to procure re-hearing, and the recent dila-
tory conduct of the executive after all doubt
of his innocence has been removed are dis
grace to the country We are sure that
nine-tenths of the officers Of the army would
rejoice at his reinstatement and the confu-
sion of those who have for SO long prosecuted
him. Let the amplest justice be done in the
premises.