National Republican., 1884-01-19
TIIE HOuSE.


Mr.. slocum asked unanimous consent that to.
days session be set apart for debate only on the
Fitz-John Porter bill.
Mr.. Bayne introduced q bill for the erection
of public building at Allegheny City, Pa. Re-
ferred.
Mr. Brumm offered the following resolution,
which was referred to the committee on foreign
affairs on motion of Mr. Cox, of New York
"RcsolUsd, That the committee ON foreign affairs
be directed TO make inquiry as to whether any
foreign minister accredited to the United States
has endeavored to nullify the effects of unan.
imous resolution of this house by representations
rejecting on the honor and integrity of Its mem
bets."
ing hour, and though there was general opposl.
ton ON the republican side, the motion secured
the requisite two-t thirds vote-156 to 49,
The house then lat l2:45 o'clock went into COM
mittee OF the whole on the private calendar (Mr.
Springer Of Illinois, in the chair, the first bill
being that for the relief of FitzJohn Porter.
The report of the majority and the views of the
minority were read. During the reading OF the
latter MIR. Steele complained that the order of the
house requiring both reports to be printed to-
gether had not been carried out, and that the mi.
nority report could not be obtained at the docu.
Mr. slocum called attention to the fact that the
majority report had been printed long before the
views Of the minority were presented. Nobody
was To blame because they were not printed to-
gethcr. The chair declared that debate was out
Of order, and the reading was continued.
Atits conclusion Mr.. Slocum proceeded to speak
In support of the BILL He would not 20 into techn-
cal discussion of the evidence presented to the
court martial, for congress was not a court Of APP
peal. The proper court of appeal was the Presi-
dent 10 review the case and its decision should be
final. II any gentleman desired clear, concise
conception OF the case he could find IL in the few
pointed and comprehensive sentences uttered by
Gen. Grant. He drew picture of the excitement
which existed at the time of Porters trial. and
without casting any aspersion on the court, de-
clared that tho result was foregone conclusion
Up to the hour of his arrest, there had not been
stain on PorterB escutcheon but in a time OF in
tense excitement. when mems DaSsiOnR uytlrDcd
their reason, his brilliant reputation was no
shield. For twenty long years that man had suf-
compelled TO suffer: but to-day Fiiz-John Porter,
no matter what the action OF congress would be,
stood before the world fully vindicated-no, not
vndicated, but awarded the highest need of
praise by the most eminent military authority of
the country. The same men who had ruined
Porter had struck deadly blow at Sherman, and
he had seen NJ the review of the union army Gen.
Sherman refuse his hand to the secretary Of war
because he had attempted to throw disgrace upon
him. 1t was his (Slocum's) firm belief that had
not the war closed as 1t had Sherman's name
would have been placed side By side with that of
Porter.
MIR. slocum's speech was listened to attentivey
throughout, and at its conclusion he was warmly
Mr, Steele followed with speech in opposition
10 the bill. He was not surprised that thogentle-
man from New York Mr.. Socuml had neglected
to touch the merits of the case lie had appealed
to the sympathies of the house, but he did not say
that the sentence Of the court was not just SEN
tence. He had presented no reasons why the
~
great love for the man. He Mr. Steelel then pro-
cceded TO defend the personnel of the court
martial. asserting that 1t was satisfactory TO
United that Porter had had fair trial. He char
Rcterized the criticisms on the court as dreams.
lie, too, had had u dream, and 1t was that
there had been moment of solemnity
in the court when Mr.. Hitchcock, who claimed
Porter as a protege, said that there could be but
one verdict, and the whole court had agreed with
him. But sill milder sentence had been given.
lie thought that his dream would be found to be
New York tMr. slocuml He gave II history of the
orders OF the twenty-sevenlh and twenty ninth OF
August, which he declared Porter had utterly
failed 10 obey. For all the good he had done he
mig Us well have taken his corps and gone to
Washington. Porter di not disobey the orders
because lie was afraid. lie did not accuse the
serve his country; but 1t was because he loved
Mcclellan more than he did his country. Porter
had grave, positive orders to cause him to push
his army against the right of the enemy, and
there was no proof presented to the court martial
to show that he did soi aud Gen. Mcdowell had
said that he firmly believed that If Porter had
gone in as ordered by him and ordered by Pope
the union victory would have been decisive
Hooker, Siegel, Reynolds, friends OF Porter, were
engaged in the battle, and yet ne turned not a
hand 10 save his country that day. Porter has
declined to obey, because he said that If he moved
his men in as ordered he would have TO fight, to
which Mcdowell had replied; "That is what we
came here for"
wantld TO fight he did not do so.
MIR. Calkins replied that that was just what he
did.
Both these gentlemen spoke in an excited man
ner, and, several other members jumping to their
feet, caused great confusion In the committee for
some moments, and drowned the voices OF the
dohaterS,
Continuing, Mr.. Steele said that he did not wish
TO reflect upon the gentlemen who composed the
board of review, but re claimed that they did not
constitute legal constitutional court, and that
under the laws of New York they were liable to
tr for assuming JUDICIAL ulG lnmc'ions % Referring
AtOT Randolph had obtained the list OF the names
of the persons selected, sent it 70 Wlllards hotel.
aud submitted IL to gentlemen there to know
whether 1t was satisfactory or not. Gen. S. hofed
would have liked To get the nomination for the
presidency aud Randolph carried Pennsylvania
and New Jersey in his brecches pocket
MIR. K0secrans inquired what the gentleman
had said.
md thecountry undorsto ID, aud the gentleman
himself understood that Schoield would like to
be ticed with the nomination.
Mr. ROseCrnns, understood no such thing,
MIR. Steele continuing, said that the board
found that Gen. POpeS army would have been
annihlated il the 1000 men Of PorIers hyd gone
into the fight. such u rCusOning-thGt 10 Increase
an army by the addition of the bus. corps was 10
cause its eXtinction-was absurd During his trial,
had heard Porter say, uftcr McDowel's testimony
6ey @ TccpS9 as me Bsng J P SIa to 5s" como 10
manding officer was being loyal 70 the country,
when that officer WAS consistently lighting his
COuntiy's battles. He hOpod that gentlemen on
bss 9 Ills %9H a3d be Sa Sa nE ksM
that there were no such men as porier in the
army OF the west but that when Officers nt that
army received orders they oheyed them. He
believed that his friends who had fought on tho
other side were in that kind of an Hrmy-that
they were in an army commanded by mon who,
when they received an order, obeyed 1t even to
the death.
MIR Lyman, in speaking in support Of the bill,
transformed the floor into the field of battle and
argued that in view of the position of the forces
Porter was justified in modifying the first order he
reGeved--iOr he did not disobey IL. lfther0 was
one principle of military law better established