Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-03-17

succeed in breaking up the government,
but he was devoted to Mcclellan. Nc
Clellan was the idol of his heart and star of
his hope. He wanted to see Mcclellan succeed
first. He wanted to see our cause prosper, but
he wanted Mcclellan to lead us to victory. He
was the man to whom Porter was attached,
around whom all the affections OF his heart
seemed to have entwned themselves, and it was
bitter as death to him when Mcclellan was sup
planted in command and succeeded by man
fer whom he seems to have had great con-
tempt that was the fault and fall of Fitz John
Porter. 1t was an ambition. if not for himself
for his friend, like the ambition that drew Satan
down. That drew Porter down, and, so far as
our power Is concerned, the analogy proceeds
step further, for "when he fell, he fell like
Lucifer, never to rise again." Look at the facts
on which he was convicted, and 1 think the tes-
timony sustains the findings of the court.
There was battle raging upon which the fate
of this nation might depend. Orders were
issued to him again and again which he
fatty disobeyed. When, finally, in obedience
to positive order to come and report
on the battle field to Pope in person, he
did come, it was without one of his
brigades, and so tardily IS to show he had no
heart in the cause, no wish to obey the order.
Why, Mr.. President, life depended on that
battle. Not merely that of an individual, but
the life of an army, the life of a nation, per-
haps. If Porter should go down the avenue
and kill man to-day he would be hanged. Life
for life Upon this admeasurement of justice
what shall we do with the man who, by his
criminal conduct, sacrificed the lives of 10000
soldiers? The battle rendered necessary in
consequence of his neglect of duty cost us
10000 lives. Upon this admeasurement if
Porter had 10000 lives they were all forfeited
to the state: The people from my state. |
know, felt it keenly. The loss fell heavily upon
us. What was called the "Iron Brigade" in
the army of the Potomac, made up of three
Wisconsin regiments and one Indiana regiment,
as brave body of men as ever were on
the battle field, body of men who, for
bravery and soldierly bearing and con-
duct. wonld not suffer by comparison with the
sold Guard" of Napoleon in one of the fights
i'll that neighborhOod lost in one hour and five
minutes nineteen hundred and ten men killed
and wounded. Every train of cars that pene-
trated the interior of the state for months after
wards came freighted with the sacred remains of
our slaughtered soldiers. They were piled up In
pine boxes around our depots like merchandise,
and sleep now in green graves that dot every
hill and every green valley in Wisconsin. Our
people will not soon forget Fitz John Porter.
They will never forgive him. They would not
soon forget me, and never forgive me, if should
stand as their representative and vote to put
Fitz John Porter back where he would have
been if he had not fallen, and pay him all that
he would have had if he had renamed in
the service and served his country faith
fully. Queer things are being done
these days. This thing may be done
by the senate 1t will not he done
by my vote. should regard it as disgrace
full act for congress to do. Nevertheless, Mr..
President Gods will be done. 1t may be that
this last travesty upon justice is necessary.
They tell us that whom they gods would destroy
they first make mad. 1t may be- although it
seems impossible, that the Democrats are not
mad enough to insure their total destruction.
This last act may be needed to convince the
American people that to insure proper discrim-
ination between virtue and vice, to fix proper
punishment upon diSloyalty, and hold the re-
belion in check, we need in the White House
once more the steady hand, cool head, and the
patriotic heart of U. S. Grant. [Great APP
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