The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-17
F1tz John Porter.

The cruel and ruthless treatment
received by this noble soldier at the
hands OF the republican administra-
lions since his deposition from the
army, to say nothing of the original
injustice done him in the finding of
the court-martial, is one of the things
which will tell with crushing power du-
ring the campaign now pending. Since
the finding of that court-martial near
ly all of the leading spirits on it and
behind the cruel verdict have relent-
ed. Even the p st u IDOL of the war.
Even Grant long since reversed the
verdict he had made in the pa
sions of the hour, and in a
clear and conclusive technical
ex tmiaation of all the circumstances
surrounding the movement upon
which charges were preferred, ex-
onerated Porter fully. The brave
rue soldier frets under the disgrace
heaped upon him. He has grown old
and poor in the effort to wiring simple
justice from the nation which he
served so gallantly, but all to no 9ur-
pose. There has been a lion in his
pathway to justice which would not
down, and neither could it be turned
or avoided in any way. General Fitz
John Porter Is demeera.tt, - saf4d as
such vas as Rot Ct entitled to justice at the
hands of the republican administration.
1t is crying shame that this brave
gentleman is thus made the catspaw
of circumstances. The bill for his
relief having passed both houses of
congress there was nothing left to be
desired, or to make the work of jus,
tice complete, but the signature of the
president. That would have been
forthcoming only the president had
been defeated for denomination dur
ing the tendency of the bill, ant
knowing how much the people had tb'
measure at heart and how such vetC
would injure the prospects of thu
election of his hated rival, the presi
dent did not hesitate to write sucl
veto, and then, too, it afforded him ;
chance to squelch one of the demo
cratic brood, a thing to be neglected
never.
This Circumstance is one of tn
cruelest which has ariZen in thi
country. 1t is a jibe at justice, and al
eternal and loudly resoundlng arraign
ment of the republican party. TIL
blood poor Porter lost IN the cause o
the union, his magnificent record as
soldier, his sacrifices and the gre
hairs and broken health won by hi
efforts in the cause, have all gone TO
nothing. Not that alone but the
stand against him, because he has pre-
sumed to act and vote as any othe
citizen, without submitting his ballo
to the president or to the republica
executive committee for revision G
approval. It is shameful, an
if the matter is urged and BROAD
published throughout the country eI
the votes fall in November it. wi
have all the effect the president il
tended the veto to have, and it wi
materially assist in placing man i
/ the presidential chair who will nc
veto the bill should another senat
and another house reconsider it. Ii
the democratic national executive con
mittee see to it that it be given BROAD
to the people. Let all the lights an
shadows of this inexpressable meal
$ ness be turned sqiarely to tn
people so they may sit dow
. on it as brave and generous poop
will surely do when they find out tt
full force and effect of the president
little and insufferably mean action.
There are thousand and one eli
cumstances of this character, whicl
if they are given to the public durin
! the present canvass, Will do the r
publican party injury, and we beliey
the aggregate of the effect will prov
fatal to the hopes Of the Blaine tickle
Let our papers and public speaker
r not neglect to use this weapon for a
, that its weight is worth.