The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-06

General OF the Army and, as President ol
the United States. Thereare also seyeral
petitions from officers OF high rank. and
indeed from soldiers OF all grades generally
cognizant Of the events, from New York
city and other cities in New York. from
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Pennsy ylVania, and also from numerous eli.
i&enss'in Philadelphia. Numerous other
petitions from officers and soldiers from
seVeEa! States were presented to Congress
at the Inst session, and there were many in
the hands Of President Hayes when he nm.
pointed an advisory board, including mn
Peals from the legislatures OF New Hamp.
shire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, also
arguments from able jurists.
See note following signature.)
The few Of these that have bect, able
to recover | have appended to nv apnenl
so that it may be seen how large /, cIass nj
our citizens have been interested in the
administration Of this case, and last, but
not least, take that, which under the cir
cumstances will be the sanctioned, liberty
OF sending private letter to me from Gen.
eral Terry, whose manly utteances are
only equalled by those OF General Grant.
am very truly yours,
+. ]. PORTER.
INoTE1-see pages 4S6 to 400, and 5S4 to
$50, OF volume ], Of the proceedings Of the
Board. as published by the Senate.
New foRK, DECEMBER 5, 1881.
To The President, Washington, D. C.:
sm:-I respectfully represent that in
January, 1863, by Court Martial. | was
most unjustly declared guilty Of he
charges against me and sentenced ito be
cashiered and forever disqualified from
holding any office Of trust or profit under
the Government Of The United States /"
Eromthe prOmulgation Of the verdict Of that
Court have protested my Innocence Of
all wrong done and asserted in Justice OF
the sentence, and presenting sustaining
evidence, have from time to time urged
q rehearing. In 1873, the President
in order to be fully informed OF the facts in
the case, and to be enabled 10 act adyisedly
upon my application for relief, appointed d
board OF army officers to examine into the
merits OF the case and report what action,
il any, in their opinion, Justice required
should be taken on my application, That
board, after Il thorough examination into
the iActs oil the case, vindicated me in
every respect and reported that in tbeir
opinion Justice required ut the hands OF the
President such action as may be necessary 10
annuland setaside the finding and sentence
OF the courtmartial and restore me 10 tbg
position OF which that sentence deprived
me; such restoration to take effect from Tho
date OF my dismissal from the service, and
now respectfully and urgently represent
that the sentence is continuing sentence,
and SO long as it exists is within reach and
under the control OF the Executive Dower
That harsh and burdensome as it oricinally
was, and LASTING through many years II +
Tor stronger reasons subject 70. the Consid
Grafton and action of the Executive nov
that it is proved to have been founded or
error and to be unjust, and 1 respectfully
ask you, II convinced Of the Justice Of the
recommendation Of the advisory board tc
annul and set aside the findings and the
sentence OF court martial and nominate me
to the Senate for restoration to myrank in
the army, and the act OF Congress Of 1865
allowing that mode OF redress OF n wronp
committed by the court martial; and this
fsX, not merely in justice to me and those
most dear to me, but in justice to the army
to which | belonged, and which has eycl
believed in me and to the government
which honored and trusted me.
Very respectfully yours
FIrz JOHN PORTER.
New YoRx, December %, 1881.
To The Presideat, Washington, D. c.:
DEAR Sm-At the request Of General Fit,
John Porter, have recently reviewed his
trlaI ana the testimony furnished before
the schofeld 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 thest
nineteen years have been doing n gallant
and efficient soldier very great injustice in
thought and sometimes in speech. | fec
incumbent upon me to dowhatever lies il
my power to remove from him and from
his family the stain upon his name. / fee
this more incumbent upon me than j
should If had been a corps commander
only or occupying any other command in
the army than the one which did, but a,
General had it. possibly, in my power t
haye obtained for him hearing which ht
only got at later day, and as President
certainly had the power to have ordered
that hearing. In justification for my in
justice to General Porter, can only state
that shortly after the war closed lis de
fence WINS brought to my attention, but
read 1t in connection with sketch OF the
field where his offences were said 10 have
been committed, which nov
see,, since perfect maps have beer
made by the engineers department OF III,
whole field, were totally incorrect us show
ing the position OF the two armies. l hay,
read it in connection with the statements
made on the otherside against Gen, Porter
and am afraid possibly with some It'll,
preiHdiceinth the case. Although Gen. Porte
was man whom l personally knew ant
liked before, ! got the impression will
many others that there was hali.hcartcC
support OF Gen. Pope in his campaigns
and that Gen. Porter, while possibly no
more guilty than others, was placed il
position where he could b
made responsible for his Indifference, IN,
that the punishment was not severe on
for such an otfense. am now conyince
! that he rendered faithful, efficient and. in
telligent service, and the fact that he wa
retained In command Of the corps io
months after his otIenses were said to hay
been committed, is in his favor. What
: would ask in General Porter's beha
from you is that II you can possibly civ
:, the time, that you give the subie,
t the same study and thought that / hay
given II, and then act as your jadgmei
a may dictate; but feeling that you will M
have time for such investigation tfor
y would take several days time), l would rs
!. that the whole matter be laid before Il
) Attorney.General for his examination M
!; opinion.