National Republican., 1883-01-12

Mr.. Hale hoped that the senator from
| Massachusetts, would hurry up the action ol
| his constituents, so that tho bill might bC
/ disposed of this week.
Mr.. Rollins offered resolution providing
that on aud after the fifteenth of January
the senate shall meet at If A. IN. Laid over
Mr.. Plumb introduced n bill to reimburse
the state of Kansas for moneys expended in
patroling md defending the southern and
western border OF that state againt Indian
| invasions during 1919. 80, aud Sl. Re-
terrod to the committee on military affairs.
AT the conclusion of the morning hour the
president laid before tho senate, according to
the agreement made last week, the bill for the
relief of
TITz-JoHN PORTER
The amendment reported from the commit.
tee on military affairs, providing that Porter
shall receive no pay, compensation, or allow
ance prior TO his reinstatement in the army.
was agreed to.
Mr.. Conger moved to postpone the bill in
definitely, the question being on the passage
of tho bill.
q, Mr., Cameron, of Pennsylvania, addressed
| the senate as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: 1t is not my habit TO give OK.
plantations for votes that cast nor is It my nton.
,lon now to depart from that rule, for II
makes ma but little difference how plausible
on any subject, it Is tho voio itself und
us result which counts. MY object I'm now ris.
ing is TO speak of my personal knowledge of Geu.
Porters connection with the war In its early his
tory. believe that can state n few facts which
came under my own observation which Will 20
iar, very lar, to show that he nt thed0rEest mo-
ment of our great struggle, proved himself rs pa
| triotic as amy man III the history of the nation.
ti2-J John Porter, in April, 1861, then major on
lhe staH oi Gen. scott, was sent by the War depart
ment to Harrisburg, Pa, TO aid the state 0uthor-
lles IN organizing and forwarding the troops Of
that state TO the scat of war at Washington. lie
had not been in the state forty eight hours before
communication by mail and telegraph was cut oil
between the twoGities, and he was left to act upon
ms own responsibility. lie was equal to the emer.
genCy. Not only did he perform the duties TO
winch ho had been assigned in Pennsy ivania with
great zeal, tact, Industry, ana wonderful ylglunce,
as VIII be ana has been testified to by the then
state authorities, who wore themselves without
any military experience but knowing the utterly
helpless condition of the authorities ut Washing.
ton, he assumed authority in the name OF the con-.
mandiug general, and directed the movements OF
troops nom other states, particularly the troops
Washington and passing through Pennsylvania,
lie never seemed to eat or TO sleep, but was
eternaliy on the alert, cheering the mon by his
zeal and his confidence, aiding the authorities by
advice, aud insructing them how to bring order
ont of chaos.
II became my duty TO take charge of the rnil,
way from Harrisburg to Baltimore, aud while so
engaged an incident occurred iu my Office which
impressed me greatly AZ the time, aud which 1t
mas always seemed to INC should atone to great
extent for any errors Gen. Porter may have commit.
ted, If any, ~ n later period OF the war. II was
TO great extent through him, in my judgment
lhat tho services of Gen. George IL. Thomas
were secured TO the side Of the union. Gen.
Thomas, then Mai: Thomas, was stationed at Cnr-
Isle barracks. There were at the same time
oother majors of the army stationed atthc same
pnce-l have forgotten their names. but that is
lmmutcral, for the records OF the War department
VIII shOw-when an order was received from the
War department by messenger who came across
the country directing Mi. Porter to send the
troops ihcn nj Carlisle TO Washington, with dircc
lions to have them cut their way through. IL IS
the language of this order which makes me say
lhAt this was AZ of the darkest periods OF the
war. The capital OF the nation was menaced 10y
IN enemy camping within n lew miles of II, and
but handful of men for its protection. Porter,
win quick perception OF the gravity OF the stu.
alton, and showing n thorough knowledge of the
fitness OF the man for the duty to be performed,
selected Thomas from the three majors ana
ordered him to report to him at my office in
Harrisburg, that being POrters headquarters.
Thomas arrived there promptly the sumo evening,
When Informed of the duty to be performed
Thomas hesitatcd, and then began n conversation
between the two officers, which continued unit
morning, aud mnde lasting impression on my
mind Thomas argued against the war, taking
the ground that the trouble had been brought
upon the country by the aboltloniss Of the north,
ana that while deploring 1t rs sincerely as any
man could the south had just cause for complaint.
Porter took the position that ho (lhomnS) rs sol
oier had no right TO look at thc cause of the
trouble, but rs an officer of the United states army
IL was uis duty to defend his flag whenever it was
attacked, whether by foes from without or from
within. Porter plead us 2edlousy rs clOqucutly
as have ever heard any man plead II cause IN
THIS pleading which caused Thomas to arrive at
decision.
/ do not say that Thomas refused to obey his
his otuers, but / do say That he hCsated, and
would much have preferred that the duty had de.
Nolyed upon another. Thomas was Nirgiuian,
and had, as many other good aud patriotic men,
mcnt coercing the states back into the union that
had, by their legislatures, formally Withdrawn;
bu! having that night decided TO remain with the
union, from that time forward there was no doubt,
no heSitAnCy, no Waverlng, but an earnest hearty
support TO the side which had for its motto the
interest of the union, aud to-day his name is
among the brightest, best, and purest Of it, mill.
taIy heroes. lfFitz-John Porter was TO any ex-
tent insrumenlal In saving this great name to our
list OF military heroes, ask should not this cOun-
try be grateful to him? i think IL should.
AS to Ftz.Jnhn Porter's action at the second
battle of Bull Run, for which he was tried, con-
iess my inability to Judge. Able military men
dner Doth sides, in my belief, equally sincere IN
their convictions, ana Doth sides being anxious to
do Porter justice, and justice only us they view
his acts. That there is Il prejudice against Porter
in the minds of many good people know, and an
instance which came under my notice within the
last few days fully illustrates 1t.
received letter from very worthy ana in-
ielllgcnt gentleman residing in lIarfi,burgh, in
whicn he safes that lie has been reliably in
formed that at the time Mr.. Lincoln passed
through Harrisburg, In February, 1861, Fitz-John
Porter was with him, and when IL was determined
mat Mr.. Lincoln would 60 yia Phiiadclphia by
that Porter protested most violently, and then
the writer propounded the question: Did not
to meet him on his arrlyalY' l replied 10
his letter as follows: IL am in receipt Of
your letter Of the fourth instant aud note wha.
you say in reference to Fitz-JOhn Portcrs OppO.
,ition to President Lincoln's route to Washington
via Philadelphia In 1861. You arc mistaken as to |
That. Fiiz-lOhn Porter was not in Harrisburg ut
That time, nor did he reach there until after the
presidents proclamation Gu ling for 5000 troops
IN April, 1861; The officers who were detailed to
accompany the president were Gen. Sumner then |
Col. summcr), and Gen. John Pope Uhen Capt |
POpe), What their views were with regard to Mr. |
LincOn's change of route do not TCCOlleCt, but |
certainly titz.John Porter WAS not In Harrisburg !
~ that Time, nor was he until six weeks after"
| believe FiiZ.JOhn Porter TO have been II loyal !
soldier Of the union, aud whatever mistakes he |
were Of the head aud not of the heart !
aid, therefore, IN justice 10 him make this state
nent
Mr., Logan stated again briefly his views of |
.he case. The law under which Porter was
made the dsobcdience of the law. |
nj order of superior officer an Otcnse TO be |
punished by death, or by whatever less pun
shmeut a court martial might order. The |
,rdors of Gen. Pope, the commanding general, |
we're lawful orders, and they were disobcyed, |
md Porter was regularly tried and con
lcmned for his disobediencc
Therefore, whoever voted TO sot aside the .
Judgment, would vote in disregard of the law .
md the facts. lie knew that since this bill |
vas last before the senate, gentlemen had |
'ome from distant cities to talk to senators in .
uvOr of its passage, hut, ON the other hand /