The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-19
plauded.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Representative Steele's Speech in Defense of
the Minority Report. 49

.
Representative Steele's Speech in Defense of
the Minority Report. ao4N
Special TO the indianapolis journal % 0';, ,"s
WASHINGTON, Jan. 18-Representative Steele
made a very strong speech, of an hour and a
half in length, in support of his minority report
against the restoration of General Porter The
House paid close attention throughout and at
the close he was congratulated by Generals
Rosecrans and Slocum and by many members
from both sides.
Mr. Steele began by saying he was not sur-
prised that the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Slocum neglected to touch the merits of the
case. He had appealed to the sympathies of the
House, but did not say the sentence of the court
was not just Mr.. Steele proceeded to defend
the personnel of the court-martial as
sorting that it was satisfactory to
Reverdy johnson, General Porter's counsel
who admitted that Porter had fair trial. He
gave history of the orders of the 9th and 10Th
of August, which he declared Porter utterly
failed to obey. For all the good he had done he
might as well have taken his corps and gone to
Washington. General Porter did not disobey
orders because he was afraid. He did not ac+
cuse him of that. 1t was not because he de-
clined to serve his country, but it was because
lie loved Mcclellan more than his country.
General Porter had positive orders to push his
army against the right of the enemy, and there
was no proof presented at the court-martial to
show that he did so. General Mcclellan said
that he firmly believed if Porter had gone in as
ordered, and as ordered by Pope the union vic
tory would have been decisive Hooker, Siegel,
and REYNOLDS friends of Porter were engaged in
the battle, and yet he turned not hand
t o save his country on that day. Porter declined
to obey, because he said if he moved his men
in as ordered he would have to fight, to which
Mcdowell replied, That is what we came hero
for"
Mr.. Maginns inquired why, if Mcdowell
wanted to fight, he did not do so.
Mr. Calllins repliedtha is just what he diddo.
Both these gentlemen spoke in an excited man
ner. Several other members jumping to their
feet caused great confusion in tho committee for
some moments and drowned the voices of the de-
baters.
Continuing, Mr. Steele did not wish to reflect
upon the gentlemen who composed the board of
review, but claimed they did notconstitute legal
constitutional court, and under the laws of New
York they were liable to trial for assuming iu
dicia functions.
Referring to the organization of the board, he
said Senator Randolph obtained list of names
of the persons selected sent it to Wizards Hotel
and submitted it to gentlemen there to know
whether it was satisfactory or not. General
Schofeld would liked to have had the nomina-
ton for the presidency, and Mr.. Randolph
ried Pennsylvania and New Jersey in his
brooches pocket.
Mr. Rosecrans inquired what the gentleman
said.
Mr. Steele-I say his friends understood and
the country understood and the gentleman him
self understood, that Schofeld would like to be
tickled with the nomination.
General Rosecrans-I understood no such
thing
Mr. Steele, continuing said the Board found
General Pope's army would have been annihi-
lated if II 900 more of Porters had gone into the
fight. Such reasoning, that to increase an army
by the addition of the best corps would cause its
extinction, absurd. During his trial gen
tleman now an officer in this House, heard Porter
say, after McDowels testimony; 'They accuse
me of not being loyal TO Pope; well, was not"
Being loyal to the commanding officer was
being loyal to the country, when
that officer was consistently fighting his coun-
trys battle. He hoped the gentlemen on the
other side would not be led away by political
bias. His gallant friend from New York knew
there were no such men as Porter in the army
of the West, but when the officers of that army
received orders they obeyed them. He believed
his friends who fought on the other side were of
that kind in the army; that they were in an
army commanded by men who, when they re-
ceivcd an order, obeyed it even to death,