The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-01-12
Gran, on F,,.,J.nr Por,er.


The daily papers of Friday contain
IN interesting correspondence relating
70 the case of Fitz John Porter, con-
,isting of letter from General Porter
10 Senator Sswell, of New Jersey,
asking him to present to the President
the formers appeal and accompanying
letter from Porter to the
President asking him to annul the un-
just action of the court martial of 1868
a letter from General Grant to the |
President acknowledging his own err
rors of judgment in the premises, and
q letter from General Terry, a member
OF the Court of. Inquiry of 1879, which
pronounced General Porter innocent
on the charges upon which. he was
convicted in 1868. The following are
the letters of Generals Grant . and
,HerTy :i5.,woG -fe,c; hiTga 7nu II
+ 5sL GENERAL GRANTS LETTER.ca;u
NEW YoRK, DecemberA22,- 1881.
The President; Washington. -. air ~
Dear Sir Atthe request of General
Fitz John Porter, have recently re-
viewed his trial and testimony fur
nished before the Schofie3d Court Of
Inquiry held in 1879; giving to the
subject three full days Of careful read-
ing and consideration, .and much
thought in the intervening time. The
reading of this record has amply con-.
vinced me that for these nineteen
years L have been doing a gallant and
efficient soldier q very great injustice
| in thought, and sometimes in speech.
feel it incumbent upon me now to do
| whatever lies in my power to remove
from him and from his family the
stain upon his good name. L feel this
! more incumbent upon me than /
should if had been q corps command
er only, or occupying another COM
mand in the army than the one which
did; but, as General, had it possi-
! bly, in my power to have obtained for
him ahearing which he only got at a
| later day and as President certainly
T had power to have ordered that hear
ing. - y9et - H ~ 40
+ In justification of my injustice to
General Porter, can only say that
shortly after the war closed his defense
| was brought to my attention.. but /
read it in connection with a sketch of
the field where the offenses were said
| to have been committed, which see
now. since perfect maps have been
made by engineers of the department.
| of the whole field, were totally incOr-.
ts 1eos ~ ; sno"Tf Sme s.s p;o T. -, o,,nan " .me
wv .:..I - ...."'s. ~ -, - ~.
ti9n WIN Tue :at ssatelneus G ,iaue Da on .ns
1ttei p sue, "sansu, ss;,'I va, o.e :.t' auu
! am ai.u' ssiS wSn Sore E 7 liS.i1
P.a. auiu. 80 an 'mo 1ssv; hnr em.sii., m,
tunw O.i and - ,ihoS Il T hesnre. % Int 'sS cot ths
n;1. @u ..,;,t, o,, so' .Iat IL
there was "a half. hesrted ..e,,nnort of
General Pope in his campaigns, and
that General Porter while possibIy not
more guilty than Others. happened to
he. placed in position where he could
/ he made respOnsible for his iudiffar.
| ence. and that the punishmeut was
not a severe one for snch. an offanse. il
a,,r now conyinced that he renderefi
| faithful, efficient, and Intelligent SER
vice, and the fact that he was retained
in command Of the cOrpa for months
after his off.nses were said to have
been committed, is in his favor.
What L would ask in General POr-
ter's behalf from YOU is that. if YOU
can possibly give the time, YOU give
| the subject the same study and Thought
[ have giver1t, and then act as your
! Judgment NAV dictate. But. feeling
YOU will not have time for such inves-
| tigation (for it would take several days
itime), 1 would ask that the whole
matter be laid before the Attorney
| General for his examination and opin.
| ion -
! Eopinb Won will he able tn do this
| much for an officer who has suffered
| for nineteen wears n punishment tl,nt
| never should be inflicted upOn any but