The Evening critic., 1882-01-06
GEN, FIrz.LoHN PORTER.

PrcsIucnt Arthur-teu. Grant
Gives the weight OF His Great
Name to portcr's NiudicRtiou-A
Manly letter from gen. Terry
Gen. Portcr's letter go senator
SewctI.
The following correspondence has been
submitted to the President:
"MoRRIsTowN, n. j., Dec. %, 1881.
"Hon, WUidm j. Sctcell, United States Senate
DEAR SENATOR: You kindly offered
your services in the matter of my vindca-
tion, and | am grateful to you for your out
spoken friendship. As an active partici-
pant in the struggle on the second Mauas-
sas field of action, as well as Senator from
my State, beg Of You to present to the
President my appeal and accompanying
documents, and ask of him, in the name of
long-delayed Justice, early consideration
ana earnest action on its merits. With my
appeal is letter from Gen. Grant to the
President, and have his assurance of
further personal appeal in the near future,
he feeling deeply interested in the result,
having, through misunderstanding of the
facts, failed to act when the matter was
before him as General of the Army and as
President of the United States.
There are also several petitions from
officers of high rank, and indeed from sol
diers Of all grades, generally cognizant of
the events, from New York city and other
cities of New York. from Maine, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
and also from numerous citizens of Phila-
delpha. Numerous other petitions from
officers and soldiers from several States were
presented to Congress at the last session,
and there were many in the hands of Presi-
dent Hayes when he appointed the advisory
board, including appeals from the legisla-
lures of New Hampshire, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania, also arguments from able
jurists. tSce pages 4S6 to 400 and 53l to
$50 of volume l of proceedings of the board,
as published by the Scnate.) The few of
those that / have been able to recover |
have appended to my appeal, so that it
may be seen how much a large class of our
citizens has been interested in the admins
tration of this case and last, but not least,
] take that which, under the circumstances,
will be the sanctioned liberty of sending u
private letter to me from Gen. Terry, whose
manly utterances are only equaled by those
of Gen. Grant. | am, very truly yours,
"F. J. PORTER"
Gen. Porter's Memorial.
NEW YORK, Dec. %, 1881.
TO The President, Washington, DC:
"SIR | respectfully represent that in
January. 1863, by court-martial, | was most
unjustly declared guilty of charges against
me and sentenced to be cashiefed and for
ever disqualified from holding any Office of
trust or profit under the Government Of the
United States. From the PRONUNCIATION
of the verdict of that court | have pro-
tested my innocence of all wrong done and
asserted the injustice Of the sentence, and
presenting the sustaining evidence, / have
from time to time urged rehearing. Ia
1873 the President, in order to be fully in
formed of the facts of the case, and TO be
enabled to act advisedly upon my applica.
tion for relief, appointed a board of army
officers to examine into the merits Of the
case, and to report what action, if
any, in their opinion, justice required
should be taken on my application.
That board, after n thorough examination
into the faces of the case, vindicated me in
every respect, and reported that in their
opinion justice required at the hands of the
President such action as may be necessary
TO annul and set aside the findings aud
sentence Of the cOurt-martial, and restore
me to the positions of which that sentence
deprived me, such restoration TO take effect
from the date of dismissal from the service,
and now respectfully and urgently repre-
sent that the sentence is a continuing seu-
tence, and so long rs it exists is within the
reach and under the control of Executive
power; that harsh and burdensome Orig
nally, and lasting through many years, it is
for stronger reasons a subject for the con-
Slderatlon and action OF the Executive, now
that it is proved to have been founded
in error and to be unjust and ]
respectfully ask you il convinced
of the justice OF the recommendation
of the advisory board to annul
and set aside the findings and sentence Of
the court-maItial and to nominate me to
the Senate for restoration to my rank in
the amy under an act of Congress of 1868,
allowing that mode of redress of wrong
committed by a court-martial. And this
ask not merely in justice TO me and those
most dear to me, but in justice to the army
to which l belonged and which has ever
believed in me, and to the Government
which honorcd and trusted me. Very re-
spectfully, yours.