Morris tribune., 1882-01-12
APPEAL TO THE PRESIDE,


poRTER's APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT.
NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 1881 Ito the President,
Washington-Sir: / respectfully represent that in
January, 1864, by court martial, l was most un-
Justly declared guilty Of charges against me, and
sentenced TO be cashiered ard forever disqualified
FROM iioidiae -, any office of trust :. or
steaai jindst = Tbs gayetntaent of tbs Uni
ted States From the prblnugatibh, Of the
innocence of ali wrong done, and asserted the in
justice OF the sentence. and presenting satisfactory
evidence, have from time to time urged hearing.
In S1S the president in order to be fully informed
of the facts of the case, and to be enabled to act
adysediy upon my application for relief, appointed
a beard of army officers to examine into
asor 'ss et'3 " ee effs az Fbe report sDSa Taat
justice required should be taken on my application.
That board, after thorough examination of the
facts of the vindcated me in every respect and
the hands of the president such action would be
necessary to annul and set aside the findings and
sentence of the court martial and restore
sS.ues TO serve e 81 such ""Ss resoraon ha
to take effect from the date Of dismissal from the
servisb: ind respectfully anu t;rgehtiy represent
that The sentence is continuing sentence, and SO
long it exists is within the reach and under the
control of the executive power; that harsh and
hurdensome originally, and lasting through many
years, is for stronger reasons subject for the
now that it is proved to have beer
copfounded with error and unjust, and / respect
fully ask yons If convinced of the justice of the
recomhetidatiCt Of the advisory beard, to autril
and set aside the findings and sentence OF tie
court martial and nominate me to the senate for
restoration to my rank in the army under the act OF
congress Of 1865 allowing that mode of
the court martial and this ask
not merely in Justice TO me and those most dear to
me, INT il justice to the army ts which belonged
and which has Over believed IA ne and to the gov
ernment which honored and trusted me. Very
spectfuy yours, lSgnedl FITz JOHN PORTER.
GEN. GRANTS LETTER.
NEW YORK, Dec. ~, lSS1.-To tho President,
Gen. Fiz John Porter have recently reviewed his
trial and the testimony furnished before the Scho
field count Of inquiry 81, held in 1879 giving to the
reading and consideration and much thought
in the intervening time The reading of the whole
of this record has thoroughly convinced me that
fer these nineteen years have been doing q GAL
liant and efficient soldier very great injustice in
thought and sometimes in speech, l feel Il in
cumbent now to dc whatever lies ih my power to re-
move from him and from llls family the stain upon
his good 'laite. feel, this nore incumbent upon
me than should If had been c5ris koinirapder
only, or occupied any other command in the atthy
than the one which did But as general l had it
possibly in my power to have obtained fol him
hearing which he only got at later
the power 10 have ordered a hearing
In justification for my. injustice to Gen. Porter
can only stale hat 1Ho+tly Eftsr tbs war closed his
defense was brought to my attention, but iGaH in
connection with sketch of the field where his
offences we're said to have been committed, which,
since perfect maps have been made by the en-
gineers' department of the whole field. were totally
incorrect as showing the position of the two
armies. l have read it in connection with
statements made on the other slde against
Cen. Porter; and, atn afraid! possibly With some
tit.iS ptc11diGe i. the Glthos:eh Porter
was man whom personally Knew ind liked but
got an impression with many others that there
was 4 half-hearted support of Gen. Pope in his
campaigns, and that Gen. Porter while probably not
more guilty than an others. happgnsd
he could be made responsible for his indffer-
ence, and that the punishment was not severe on
such an offense. I am now convince that he ren-
dered faithful. efficient and intelligent service, and
the fact that he was retained in command of the
corps for months after his offenses were said
to haYe,, been committed IS in his
favor. What w3nid ask III Gen, Porter,s behalf
from you is. that if you possibly give the times
that you give the subject the same study aud
thought have given 1t, then act as your Judgment
may dictate: but feeling that you will not have time
for such investigation. for it would take several
days time. l would ask that the whole matter
be laid before the attorney general for such eyami
nation and opinion. Hoping that you will be able to
nineteen years punishment which never should be
inflicted on any but the most guilty. am very
truly yours, tsisned.l y. s. GRANT.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Aug. 26, 1S79.-Dear Gene
raj Soon after the publication OF the report of the
Schofeld board you wrote me, thanking me one
o. the board for our action in your case intend
ed to reply TO your letter at once, but just then
Gen. Sheridan desired me TO accompany him on d
visit to some post in my department, and
delayed my reply until my return to St Paul.
Then, in multitude of things to which had to at
tend forgot TO make 1t. Iwrite you to say that it
is not thanks but pardon, which should ask from
you for the years did you wrong in thotight. and
sometimes wrong in speech. 1t is true that
this was through ignorance but l had no right
to be So ignorant. 1 might have learned
something at least of the truth had 1 diligently
sought it. If you find anything in my action as
member of the board which you can accept as
atonement for the wrong did you, shall be more
then gratiied. With great respect and admiration,
l am, Yours most sincerely,
[Signedl ALFRED H. TERRY