New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-06

that the sentence lS continuing sentence, ana SO
long as il exists is within the reach and under the
control of Executive power; that. harsh ana BURDEN
some originally. and lasting through many years. III
is for stronger reasons subiect for the considera
tOn and action of the Executive, now that 1t Is
proved 10 have been Onnded in error ana 10 DE un-
JUST and respectfully ask you, If convlnce1 o1 the
justice of the recommendation of the ADVISORY
Board, to annul and set aside the findings and SEN
tcncc of the court martial, and to nominate me to
the Senate for restoration 10 my rank IN the Army,
under an act of Congress of 1865 allowing that
mode OF redress OF wrong committed by court
martial
And this / ask, not merely in iustcc me and those
most dear TO me, but in justice to the Army TO which
belonged and which has ever believed in me, and
70 the Government which hOnoret and trusted me.
very respectfully yours, FIlA JOHN PORTER
NEw-YoRK, Dec. %, 1851.
Tie President. WdshHgton, d. C.
DEAR SIR: At the request of General Fltz JoPn
Porter have recently reviewed his trl2i ana th9
testimony furnished b fore the SchO!icld court ol
inquiry held in 1879, giving 10 the suhect thTce
full DAYS of careful reading and consl GratIon ana
much thought in the intervening time Inc feaHhg
Of the whole Of this record has thoroughly con-
WINGED me that for these nineteen years nave hceh
doing gallant and cilClcnt soldier very great IN
Justice III thought and sometimes IN str.cn' l.
feel II incumbent upon me now 10 90 Whatever Ilt9
in my power to remove from him aud lr0in llS
family the stain upon his good name. tce tins the
more incumbent upon me than should ~ hdd
been corps commander only, or Occupying any
other command in the Army than the one "hlch
did; but as General, had il possibly IN my power
got at later day and as President certainly hau
the power 20 have ordered that hearing
In Justification lOr my injustice 10 General Porter
| can only state that shortly after the war closed
his defence was brought to my attention. but read
il in connection with sketch of the field where ms
offences were said to have been committed, which l
now sec since perfect maps have been made by the
Engineers Department Of the whole field, were
totally incorrect showing the position OF lhc t"o
armies | nave read II IN connection with state
mculs made on the other side against General for-
ter and am afraid possibly with some hit, prtJu-
dice IN the case although Genera. Porter was man
whom personally knew aud liked before; but got
the IMPRESSION with many others, thar there was
ha f-heartcd support of General Pope IN lis cam
paicns and that General Porter, while possibly not
more guilty than others happened to be piacrd IN
posi- ION where he could be made responsible for his
indifference aud that the punishment was not Sc
yer, one for such a. offence. | now convinced
that he rendered ialthtul efficient and intelligent
service and the fact thlt hc was retained IN COM
mani OF a corps for months after his offences were
said to have been committed is in his favor
WHAT / would ask in General Fort"rs behalf from
vou is tina II you possibly give the um', that
vou give the subject the Same study and thought
that have gwen il, and then act as your judgment
may dict tc But fc,inE tnat You VIII not have
the tune tor such an investigation dor II would
take several dals imc), would ask That the Who.c
matter he laid bcfOr, the AttOrncyGcucrdl Tor his
examination and opinion
Hupiag that you viii bc able to do this much for
an OH cr VINO has suffered for min teen years pun
Suucu! that never should be inflicted upon any but
the most guilty, am, Very truly yours,