The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-12-30

to long debates upon this subject, but as
long as he held a place in the senate he
should feel il his duty to oppose this
measure. The bill proposed that congress
should review the action Of the court mar
| tial, and determine whether its decision
was correct on the law and the facts. If
| the decision of the court martial was cor
rect congress ought not to put Porter back
| into the army; il the decision was wrong
congress undoubtedly had the right to
review the action of the court martial
Senator Logan argued in support of his
views heretofore announced. The Soho
| field board, which reviewed the case, was
without the authority of law. In reading
their report he found it difficult TO tell
whether they were trying Porter or Gen.
| Pope; but it showed clearly that they had
not read the record. Gen. Grant has
fallen into the same error. The board said
| 'tPorter's subordinate and wise conduct
that evening saved the Union army" That
meant, that when the whole confederate
force except few brigades, was attacking
Pope's.3 200 men, Porter was lying by with
1900 with their arms stacked. Saved
the Union aTmy-saved it from what?
Not from being beaten, for it was beaten.
Upon this principle if the whole Union
army would have stacked arms nobody
would have been hurt. Laughter The
board went upon the theory that the re-
ports upon which the court martial Convicted
Porter were those of the Both of August,
instead of the goth. and that the reports of
the confederate generals, Lee, Longstrcet,
Stuart and Rosser, should be read the 30th
and not the Goth, as they did read. In
fact, no man familiar with the case could
avoid the conclusion that the board paid
no attention to the evidence, or that they
perverted it and distorted it in every posi-
BILE way. Boards, like other people, were
affected sometimes by strange Influences,
and there was curious fact that ought to
be stated in connection with this
one. At the time the board was organized
Gen. Mcdowell was of age to retire and
Gen. Pope was the next ranking officer:
but two of the members of the board were
applicants for the place. But of course
that did not affect their judgment in any
way; yet, strange to say, up to the time
when Pope as nominated and confirmed
there was constant war waged upon him
with the view of breaking him down. so
that some one else should get the place to
which he was entitled. The members of
the board, being honorable gentlemen.
could not, of course. have had anything to
do with this; but, as Pope was new in the
place. the attacks would probably cease.
In the attempt to make case for Porter
every great name, living and dead, was
''rung in" and it had been stated that
President Lincoln repented of having APP
proved of finding the court martial, and
had intended to give Porter new trial.
Lincoln was too good lawyer not to
know that he had no power to grant new
trial, and as to repentance the best evil
dence was the testimony of Robert Lincoln
that his father had talked with him about
the case and had said that in his opinion
it was one which would have justified the
sentence of death. In February, 1880.
long after this board had made its report,
Garfield cenversed with him Logan) about
the case and was preparing speech. to
be delivered in the house, in opposition TO
the relief bill. He had also written a letter
to Gen. Cox, of Ohio, which Logan had
read by the clerk, stating that he had heen
stunned by the decision of the Schofield
board that he could hardly trust himself to
speak of it as it appeared to him.
Returning from his depression, be said
he had recently asked a gentleman very
high in the army, and under whom he had
served in the west, what he thought would
have been done to him Uogan) if he had
sent to his commanding officer to move
wagons out of his way and the distin-
guished gentleman replied, We'll | thing
you would have been put out to a dry
nurse" Laughter But one of the
worlds great military chiefs (Gen. Grant)
had said recently that Porter could not
move because the road was obstructed
That great commander held a different
opinion on the subject of marching in
spite of obstacles when he led our armies
in the field. Gin support of this statement
Senator Logan read from Badeau's Mill
tary History several instances of forced |
marches made or ordered. by Gen. Grant, |
one being a case where the troops had had |
little or no rest for week. A gentleman |
now sits before me, he went on, (pointing
to Senator Miller, of California; who |
marched one rainy night with 5000 men
to oppose 60 900, and held them there i'm
til the General come to his relief. Muir |
murs of appliance.
Senator Hoar said he observed that Sen |
ator Logan and Gen. Grant did not agree |
as to facts, and he wished to ascertain |
which person was correct. Gen. Grants |
statement was, that, by starting at 8 instead |
of 1, Gen. Porter could have had his men |
at their destination by daylight in better |
condition for service; and, also, that there |
was but one narrow route instead of three |
as stated by Senator Logan, and that the |
aid de- camp who brought the order to Por |
ter was three hours on his way.
Senator Logan Insisted that his state
ment was sustained by the testimony in the |
case. The trouble with Gen. Grants |
article was, that it did not state the facts |
in the cass.
Ga,ator M.Dbarcox. cold Co., H-o.. I'D /