The Portland daily press., 1884-01-28
FORTY-ElGHTH CONGRESS-.
HOUSE.

w ASHINGIONy Cdus %oa
The House today, Ia committee of the whole
discussed the Fitz John Porter bill Mr.. bay
of New York, spoke first, finishing good
Speech in support OF tho bill. He declared his
belief that If President Lincoln had survived
the asssssn's pistol, before the SHOWS OF an-
other wiuter hsdaeome he would have done jus-
tice TO Gen. Porter, and would have restored
him to the Union army.
In opposing the bill, Mr.. Thomas Of Della
ware, denied the right Of Congress to pass up
on this case, aud declared tnat the attempt to
override the decision of one of the constitu-
tional tribunes of the country was an absolute
violation Of the constitution of the United
States.
Mr.. Follett of Ohio, had hoped that this
question would not be discussed as political
one, but he discovered in the speech OF the
gentleman from Illinois tMr Thomas) the AMI
mus Of the case It WAS not treason against
the government that Porter was charged with,
but treason against Pope; therefore, the
House was to be divided, in considering
question involving the character and rights of
an American citizen, into partisans of Porter
aud Pope.
Mr. Milliken of Maine. inquired II Gen.
Pope had not been unnecessarily attacked By
Porter's friends, and il his defence had not
been cansed by the fact that gentlemen who
were defending Porter could not seem to-do SO
without attempting to asperse the character OF
other men, who, whatever might have been
sAcAf dbllity III war lUukut lhlbulUtty uANCA
the flag OF their country, and never had tho
tslnt OF treason cast upon them.
Mr.. Follett replied that he, for one, would
not attack the character of Pope. He did not
propose to say of Pope anything that he has
not said of himself. Oa % contrary, he pro-
knew nothing about the case outside of the
record. Mr.. Follett then passed on to q re-
view of the evidence in ,he case, aud coaclud-
ed therefrom that Porter actad under wise
1t was charged, and charged solely for the par
pose of accom- pishing OBJECT, that Fiiz
John Porter came to the House to present his
claim to q body composed in part OF Rasn who
were once in rebellion against the laws aud
government OF the United States. These men
were here entitled to the same rights, tho
same privileges aud the same immunities that
every other citizen is entitled to. He, for ene,
would not, as an American citizen, seek every
opportunity that he could find 10 smack in ths
face the men who we're as loyal and true as
any man over whom the flag of the govern
ment hoated. If there we're any men ON the
floor who were capable of passing impRrtially
on the merits of this controversy, they were
the men, who had not had thGir pref jadiees,
passions or feelings aroused in any way by per-
sonsl antagonism between two men, each Of
whom occupied a conspicuous position III the
army of tho North. [Asplsuse on the Demo-
cratic side.]
Mr.. Beford, OF Colorado, said that he had
the boldness and courage TO do Shat was just,
Without regard to any popular prejudice
which might exist Gen. Grant was the great
est soldier who had appeared since the time of
Julius Caesar. Pompey was conquered; Han
nibal was conquered; Napoleon was conquered
but Grant never lost battle. And Gen.
Grant had fully examined this case, aud said
that injustice had been dene to Gen. Porter
He proposed TO bury the prejudices of the past
and do Justice to man whom The greatest
general on tho face of the earth declared 20 be
wronged and outraged. He would follow
and eoloDels of the militia Laughter and
applause
Mr.. Horr, OF Michigan, presented, as he
said, the theory of one of the fellows who
stayed at home, in regard to the Eitz John
Porter Case, and denied that the bill had been
ordered IN obedience to the elamor of those
fellows. The trouble with FiIz John Porter
was that ne became disgrunted, and that he
refused to give Pope the hearty support he
ought TO have done. 1t was contended thas
there WAS no sufficient no. tive assigned Tor
Porter's action, and that, therefore, he bad not
wilfuliy disobeyed orders. Why, most of the
disobodience which existed the army was
due to jealousy among officers. Take the
House of Representatives. Tor instance, and
higher type of Humanity could not be found
anywhere. daughter. In the organization
Of oommitiee let some man old in service as
Superseded by younghtef, and there would be
sulking There were some men, however, who
did not sRlk. Even Benedict Arnold on the
battlefield of Saratoga, when he was removed
from his command through the jealousy OF
Gates, did not sulk, but rode into the ight and
stood there until he WAS carried off on litter.
Mr.. Wollord of Kentucky, took the floor in
support of the bill, but yielded to a motion that
the committee rise, and the House, at O'Clock
adjourned.