Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-01-19
The Fits JOHN Porter Report.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE House committee
ON military affairs to-day took action on the
case of Gen. John Fitz Porter. The Democratic
members all voted to recommend the passage
of a bill based upon the measure introduced
by Representative Bragg, containing several
important features of an amendment adopted
on his motion to-day. The Republican men,
bers voted for a substitute prepared by Repre-
sentative McCook, providing simply for Gen.
Porter's restoration to his former rank In the
army, without back pay or other pecuniary
award, and not agreeing with the assertion of
the majority bill that injustice was done him
at the time of his dismissal.
THE MAJORITY REPORT
will embody the findings of the Schofald board
of inquiry and will be presented early next
week by the chairman of the committee
Representatives Sparks.
The first section of the majority bill recites
that the findings and sentence of the general
court martial in the case of Major General Fit2
John Porter, late major general of volunteers
and colonel U. s. army, are hereby set aside,
revoked and annulled, and the disqualifcatlons
of Fitz John Porter hereunder be and they
are hereby removed, said findings and sentence
having been based in error and without due
knowledge of the facts in the case.
Section restores Gen. Porter to all the
rank rights, title and privileges to which he
would have been entitled if there had been nc
court martial, and in conformity to the recon-
mendation of the board of officers convened
by special order, provides that he shall not be
entitled nor receive any pay or allowances as
an officer while not IN the service of the United
States.
Section declares the colonelcy of the Fiji
tenth infantry, held by Gen. Porter in jan
uary, 1868, having been filled by regular pro-
motion and confirmation by the Senate, the
position of colonel now to be held by Gen.
Porter will be supernumerary until vacancy
shall occur in the army, when he will be as
signed to that position and the supernumerary
colonelcy shall cease to exist.
Section says:
IF GEN. PORTER SHALL SO ELECT
the President of the U. 8. may retire him to
the rank of major general. the rank held by
him while in the service. Sec. requires the
Secretary of the treasury to pay General Por-
ter out of any money in the treasury, not 9th
erwise appropriated, the sum of S75,00O,
awarded by the government as measure of
amend In acknowledgement of the wrong done
to, and suffered by him through his dismissal
from the army and deprivation from the rights
of citizenship. upon charges now established to
be unfounded, as we'll as to REIN burse him for
expense incurred in vindication of his charac-
ter and conduct as an officer and soldier from
the di-g grace and obloquOy now shown to have
been cast upon him by the government.
The minority report will take the ground
that the testimony and condition of the coun-
try at the time of General Porter's trial jus.i-
fed the findings of the court-martial with the
light then before them.
Testimony against the Indian Bureau.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Wm. NJ. Leeds. for
merly chief clerk of the Indian bureau, in
terror department, was before the House COM
mittee on Indian affairs to-day. He attributed
the disaffection of the ties to the utter mat
tcntion of Commissioner Hayt.
Mr.. Leeds was before the committee about
two hours. He assigned, among reasons and
causes for the disaffection, the failure of the
Indian bureau to send to the indians subsist-
ence supplies and agricultural implements, as
it had agreed to do, the prohibition by
the department of the sale of arms
and ammunition upon the reservation, leaving
them under the necessity of travelling ninety
miles to obtain the to them, necessities of life,
as without means and ammunition for hunt
ing, they we're unable to sustain themselves
upon their reservation. The delay of the de-
partment in furnishing their supplies to the
starving White River Utes, and the notice given
in two successive annual reports by Indian
Commissioner Hayt that lie proposed their re-
moval to Indian Territory, without making
any mention of any proposition to compensate