The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-01-14
THE FITz JOIN PORTER CASE.


General Porter's Appeal In His Own Behalf
General Grants Recent Letter to the
President.
The following correspondence, of general in
terest, has recently been made public:
GENERAL PoHrER's APPEAL TO THE PRESIDE r.
NEW York, December2 ., 1881.
To the President Washington, u. c.:
SIR: respectfully represent that in jam.
airy. 1893, by piirt-nartidl, WI ms ST uniustly
declared guilty Of charges against me, and sem
fenced ITO be clshiered and forever disquli-
fed from holding any Office of trust or profit
under the Government of the United States"
From the PRONUNCIATION OF the verdict of that
court l have protested my Innocence of all
wrong done, and asserted the injustice of the
sentence, and, presenting sustaining ev dencc.
have from time to time urged a rehearing In
1873 the President, i'm ordC 10 be fully Informed
OF the facts of tie case and to be enabled to act
advisedly upon my application for relief, APP
pointed n board of army officers to examine into
the merits OF the cas- 2, ana report what action
II any, IN their opinion, justice required
should be taken on my application. That
Board, after thorough examination into the
facts of the case, Vindicated me in every re-
spect, and reported that, in their opinion JUS
tce 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
martiall and restore me to the positions of
which that sentence deprived mc-such rcsto-
ration TO take effect from tho date of dismissal
from the service. And now respectfully and
urgently represent that the sentence is a
continuing sentence, and so long rs it exists it
Is within the reach and under the con-
troll of the Executive power; that, harsh
and burdensome originally, ana lasting
through many years, il is, for strong
err reasons, a subject for consideration
and action Of the Executive, now that it is
proved to have been founded in error and to
be unjust; and respectfully ask you, if con-
WINGED of the Justice of the recommendation
of the Advisory Board, TO annul and set aside
the findings and sentence of the court-martial,
and nominate me To the Senate for the restora-
fifTn off
Congress of 1868, allowing that mode of redress
of the wrong committed by the cDurt-martal.
And this / ask not merely in justice to me and
those most dear to me, hut in Justice TO the
army to which belonged, and which has ever
believed in me, and to the Government which
honored and trusted me. Very respG ctfully
yours, .....r FIrz JOHN PORTER.
GENERAL GRANT TO PRESIDENT ARTHUR.
NEW YORK December -, 1881.
The President Washington, ID. C.:
DEAR SIR: AT the request of General FitB
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 read
ing and consideration, and much thought in
the Intervening time. The reading of the
whole of this record has thoroughly convinced
me that for these nineteen years, have been
doing gallant and efficient soldier very great
injustice, in thought, and sometimes in speech.
L feel it incumbent upon me now to do what
ever lies in my power to remove from
him and from his family the stain upon
his good name. feel this more incum-
bent upon me than L should if i had been a
corps commander only, or occupying any 9TH
er command in the army than the one which
/ did; but as General | had it possibly in my
power to have obtained for him the hearing
which he only got mt a later day; and, as Presi-
dent certainly had the power to have order
ed that hearing. In justification for my in
justice to General Porter, / can only state that,
shortly after the war closed, his defense was
brought to my attention, but / read it in con-
nectiOn with q sketch of the field where his
onenses were said 10 have been committed,
which now see, since perfect maps have been
made by the Engineers Department of the
whole field, were totally incorrect, as showing
the position of the two armies. have read
1t in connection with the statements
made on the other side against General
Porter, and | am afraid, possibly with some
little prejudice in the case, although General
Porter was man whom personally knew and
liked before; but | got an impression, with
many others, that there was ahalf-hearted sup.
port of General Pope in his campaigns, and
that General Porter, while possibly not more
guilty than others, happened to be placed in a
position where he could be made responsible
for his indifference, and that the punishment
was not a severe one for such an otfense.
am now convinced he rendered faithful, eff
Gent and intelligent service, and the fact that
he was retained in command of a corps for
months after his ofenSes were said to have
been committed is in his favor.
What would ask in General Porter's behalf
from you is that, if you can possibly give the
time, you give the subject the same study and
thought have given it, and then act us your
Judgment may dictate. But feeling you will
not have time for such investigation flor it
would take several days time), | would ask
that the whole matter be laid before the At
torney-General for his examination and opin-
ion. ...
Hoping you will be able TO do this much for
an officer who has suffered for nineteen years
punishment that never should be inflicted
upon any but the most guilty, am very truly
yours, u. .. GRANT.