The daily gazette., 1880-03-09

DowelPs own statement in 1878 that
any DETECTION from Pope's order to
Porter and Mcdowell was due to Nc
Dowell's act as ranking officer when
he and Porter were together. He tes-
titled that against Pope's wishes and
without his APPROVAL Mcdowell or
dered the withdrawal of Kings and
Ricketts, divisions, thus allowing q
junction to be effected between the
two armies of the enemy. This Ger
tainly exonerated Porter from that
charge. AS to the charge that Porter
delayed bringing up his army on, the
18th, and finally retreated in the face
OF the enemy, it has been proved that
there was NO such general engagement
on the 29th as Mcdowell swOre to.
Mcdowell made frightful mistake in
making that charge, for, he confused
the Goth with the Both Of August. He
was misled by reading Jackson's re-
port, which referred to the 30th, not
the Goth, and only discovered his mis-
take while testifying before the Board
of Review. So that the whole fabric
of McDowelPs testimony, on which
Porter was convicted, rested on mis-
take. t. .,r
THE HALF-PAsT FOUR ORDER.
AS to disobedience of the half-past
four order, another fact brought out
before the Board of Review was that
Porter did not get the dispatch until
after 9 p. m. This was a. o ,rtained,by
the production of three dispatches
from Porter to Mcdowell, which Nc
Dowell swore before the Board that
he had in his possession at the time of
the court martial, but did not know
that he had them, and never produced
them until sixteen years after. These
orders give the lie to this charge
against brave man. They show that
he did not receive the order in time to
make the flank attack ordered in the
half-past four p. m. despatch. Every
one agrees that fighting, except some
skirmishing, had ceased by six O'Clock.
THE GLORY OF PORTER.
AS to the events of the Both, they re-
dound to the glory and not to the shame
of Fitz John Porter. Stone wall Jackson
than whom no man was better Judge
Of bravery, re- ported TO his commanding
officer thai, attacks were made with such
fury and gallanlrv by the United States
| forces that nothing but fortunate rein
| fore. ment sent by Long Street prevent
| ed his "verthrow. Fitz John :.Porter di-
Iec ed those attacks and it was his cour-
| age and that of his men which came SO
near overwhelming the Southern. army.
That which was Intended for his shame
Will stapd forever monument OF his
courage, fidelity and ardor. These facts
cannot be rubbed out or slurred over.
They will burn themselves into the con-
sciences of the American people 30 long
as memory shall last. (Applause.l
LEGAL AND MILITARY oPIoNn,Ns.
The opinions of many OF the leading
lawyers OF the land are to the effect that
| the testimony before the court martial
did not convict Porter, but should have
acquitted him. A board of able soldiers
jealous of the honor of their profession, q,
find him not atraito. but patriot. They
report that Porter's conduct saved the
Union forces on the 9th, and that he
was in no way responsible for the disas-
ter of the 50th. The despatch of McC iol
Ian to Porter exhorting him to support
Pope was written at the reqaest Of Liz
coin, who had heard rumors of ilI-fsehng
nODg he otfi ers, but the were rumors
Porter's responses 30 Mcclellan reveal
I'd the true split In VIII Oh, he had been
acting. -..t. ,...t,..a
THE MONEY QUESTION.
As to the money appropriated by this
bill it was not worthy 10 be- meLtvned
IN 'nsideration of the suffering by P0r-
ter for sever teen " ars by reason OF this
unjust sentence. IL has been said trat
W W II hear from the country if we pa
this DILL. He hoped so. But he wanted
the country to bear from him first. he
was not waiting for the echo of popular
approval or condemnation. He would
he an unworthy representative of AN
intelligenG people if he did sot care to
vote on his own conviction of right.
| Mr. Mcdonald, (den.) OF Ind Oh
tainej the floor, anu after short execu-
tive session the Senate adjourned, at
half-past four p m, until Tomorrow.