Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-14
GEN. PORTER.
The DeG1te on His Case to Beain on Hon
day-ihe Present Status of the Matter.
i'll

The DeGate on His Case TO Beain on Hon
day-The Present Status of the Matter.
Washington Special
Notice was given in the Senate to-day that
the Fitz John Porter case will be called ul
for discussion next Monday. In regard to
this matter three separate reports have been
made, and though they cstensibly represent
the views and sentiments of all nine mem
bers Of the Senate military committee, it is
ascertained they only thoroughly represent
tho views and opinions of the in
dividual who made them-namely Senators
Randolph, Logan, and Burnside. AS to the
latter's report, made yesterday, there is con-
siderable criticism. He has the reputation
of being very conservative man, but it has
been left to him to insinuate that Gen. Por-
ter waited until the Democratic party got q
oloar majority in Congress before making an
effort for vindication. Gen. Burnside claims
that ga second court martial would give q
reliable opinion that would command
the respect of military men all
over the world, and give Gen. Porter the
Justice which is due to him. Any vindica-
ton short of that would do him and his de-
scendants no good. Consider, for instance,
the action of Congress upon this bill. if it
should te against him. In other words, if
this bill should fail to pass, then he will have
had no vindication; in fact, it will
add to his condemnation. If it should
uass in q modified form, then it could
be said that he did not deserve the full
measure of bis sentence, but yet deserved
condemnation of some kind. If it should
pass as it has been reported by the majority
of this committee, and fail to pass by sub
stantialIy unanimous vote, it will be said
that for years Gen. Porter has been trying
to get action upon this case, and never until
this particular period, and under the present
peculiar circumstances, las he been able to
pet it; and now he gets bill passed, with
ont favorable recommendation of the Presi-
dent, by simple majority of Congress-,
ard in violation of wel!-established prin-
ciple of government, that sentences of
courts martial should not be annulled by
Congress" 1t is said that Porter does not
want second trial, and, as suggested by a
member of Congress to-day, if o
second trial could be legally given it
said this member, ''even if a second court
his fingers at its orders, for, in point of fact,
III WOulu udfc uO ONSI VI pOWCi W
compel Porter to stand taial. He is out
side of the Jurisdiction of any military trib-
uual, and would not subject himself to
another trial, as proposed by Burnside, be-
cause he must know that there would be but
tho slightest chance of getting vindica-
ton of the fulsome character that be
seems to want or expect" A Democratic
Senator is prepared to offer at proper
time, as a substitute for the bills now pend
ing, proposition to reinstate Porter in the
rank of colonel of the regular army, to which
rank he would have been entitled, and then
place him on the retired list, with the pay of
retired colonel, from and after tho passage
of this act, thus avoiding the Objectionable
feature of the other bills, which propose to
allow Porter a large sum as back pay, and to
reinstate him in higher rank than he was
entitled to.