The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-06

facts failed to act when the matter was be
fore him as General of the army and as
President OF the United States There are
also several petitions hom officers of high
rank, and indeed from soldiers OF all grades
generally cognizant of the events,
from New York City and other
cities, from Maine, New Hampshire, Mas
sachusetts. Pennsylvania and also from
numerous citizens of Philadelphia. Num-
erous other petitions from officers and sol
diers from several states were presented at
the last session and there were many in
the hands of President Hayes when he ap-
pointed the advisory board, including ap-
peals from the legislature of New Hamp-
shire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Also
arguments from able jurists. (See note
following signature) The few of these
that have been able to recover | have ap-
pended to my appeal, so that it may be
seen how large q class of our citizens have
been interested In the administration of
this case; and last, but not least, | take
that, which, under the circumstances will
be sanctioned the liberty of sending pri-
vate letter to me from Gen. Terry, whose
manly utterances are only equalled by
those of Gen Grant.
F. J. PORTER
(Note See pages 4s5 to 400 and
ings of the board as published Dy the
Senate of the United States.)
New YORK, Dec. 23.-To the President:
Sir:-I respectfully represent that IN Janu-
ary 1858, by court-martial, was most
unjustly declared guilty of the charges
against me and sentenced to be cashiered
and forever disqualified from holding any
office of trust or profit under the govern
ment of the United States. From the pre-
monitor of the verdict of that court
have protested my innocenceof all wrong
done and asserted the injustice of the SEN
tence, and presenting sustaining evidence,
I have from time to time urged rehearing,
In 1878 the President, in order to be fully
informed of the facts of the case and
enabled to act advisedly upon my applica-
cation for relief, appointed board of
army officers to examine into the merits of
the case and report what action, if any, in
their opinion, justice required should be
taken on my application. That board
after thorough examination of the facts
of the case, vindicated nae 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 and 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 request that the sentence is con-
tinuing, and SO long as it exists it is with
in the reach and under the control of the
executive power. That it was harsh and
burdensome originally and lasting through
many~years it has far stronger reasons for
consideration and action of the executive,
no n hau
sounded on error and to be unjust, and l
respectfully ask you to annul and set aside
the findings and sentence of the court mar
tial and nominate me to the Senate for
restoration to my rank in the army under
the act of Congress of 1863 allowing that
mode of redress of a wrong committed by
the court martial, and this I ask not mere
ly in Justice to me and those most dear to
me, but in justice to the army to which |
belonged and which has ever believed in
me, and to the government which honored
and trusted me.
FITz JOHN PORTER
LETTER FROM GRANT
NEW YORK Dec. 22.-To the President
Dear Sir:-At the request of Gen. Fitz
John Porter / have recently reviewed his
trial and the testimony furnished before
the Schofield Court of Inquiry, held in 1879,
giving to the subject three full days of
careful reading and consideration and
much thought in the intervening time.
The reading of the whole of this record
has thoroughly convinced me that for the
last nineteen years | have been doing g.
gallant and efficient soldier very great in
Justice 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. I feel this more upon me
than I should if / had been only q corps
commander or occupying any other
command IN the army than the one
which did, but as General | had it
possibly in my power to have obtained
from him the hearing which he only got at
later day, and as President I certainly
had the pe~ar to have ordered that hear
ing. In jurisdiction for my injustice to
Gen. Porter I can only state that shortly
after the war closed his defense was
brought to my attention but read it in
connection with the sketch of the field
| where his offenses we're said to have been
committed, which / now see, since per
feet map has been made by the engineer
department of the field, were totally in
correct as showing the position of the two
armies. / have read Ii iG connection with
the statements that have been sssade on the
other side against General Porter,
and 1 am afraid possibly with some
little prejudice In the case, and
although General Porter was man whom
personally knew and liked be-
fore, but I got the impression, with
many others that there was q half-hearted
support by Gen. Porter in his campaigns,
and that Gen Porter while possibly not
more guilty than others happened to be
placed ina position where he could be
made responsible for his Indifference, and
/ that the punishment was not a severe one
| for such offence. l am now convinced
that he rendered faithful service and the
| fact that he was retained in command of
| his corps for months after his offenses
were said to have been committed. Ii in
| his favor What would ask in Porters
behalf from you is that if you can possibly
| give the time that will give the subject
the same study and thought have given
it. and then act as your judgment may die
tate; but feeling that you viii not have
time for such investigation, / would ask
that the whole matter be laid before the
Attorney General for his examination and
opinion. Hoping that you will do this
much for an officer who has suffered fol
nineteen years punishment that never
should be inflicted upon any but the inos1