The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-26
GEN. FITz JOHN PORTER.
The Debate in the House of Representatives
OH the Bill for His Relief.

the bill for the relief of Fitz John Porter.
Mr.. Taylor, of Chic, took the floor and con-
Guided his speech, begun on Saturday, on the
bill. He denied the statement that the bill was
based on the resolution introduced by General
Garfield. 1t was true, Garfield did introduce a
resolution looking to an inquiry in regard to the
alleged discovery of important evidence; but the
resolution was defeated, and what his opinion
would have been upon that evidence did not APP
pear. He (Taylorl knew what Garfeld's opinion
was up to the It'll of March, 1881. 1t was the
same as his was to-day. Congress might remove
the penalty but it was case of suicide, and
| could not revive the glories once clus
tered around Porters brow. Did the old
flag need the support of a man who
stopped on the field of battle within the hearing
of the enemys guns because he disliked his com
mandeH Would the stars of that flag be any
brighterl Let no man who loved his country
less than he disliked his commander take hold of
that flag He wondered if Porter still heard the
booming of the cannon, the shout of victory,
and struggling cheers of the dispersed force.
Whether he still saw upon the field of battle
some of the victims that his own right hand
might have rescued. All these things were in
his (Taylor's) vision and he formed the opinion
that his protection as an American citizen was
not best served by having such man connected
with the army.
Mr.. Bayne member of the committee on mill
tary affairs, spoke in support of the bill. This
was not political question;
could make it one He reviewed the
testimony taken by the court-martial and
board of revision, and quoted lengthy evidence
erection in disregarding Popes order While
quoting from General Longstreet's testimony to
show the position Of his troops the 10Th of
August he interrupted by Herbert, who
stated that he belonged to Longstreets corps and
served in WilcoXs division. He knew the di-
vision was ready and in line before y o'clock
His impression was that it much earlier
They waited in line, and wondered why they
were not carried into the fight, and he never I'M
derstood the reason of the idleness until he ex-
amined the testimony in this case. He did not
believe, and he thanked God for it, that either
the Union army or confederate army during the
late war furnished Benedict Arnold
He did not believe that Fitz John
Porter was traitor to his cause
If he did believe it he would be the very last
man to excuse him from the consequences of his
treason.
Mr.. Bayne-I think any honorable soldier
would say that
Proceeding with his argument Mr. Bayne
said if Porter had advanced from his position at
the time he received the ''43Q order it would
only have led to the sacrifice of more men, and
would not have served to save the life of a man
who fell on that day. The order contemplated
attack on Jacksons flank AT the time Pope
wrote the order he did not know of the presence
of Longstreet's forces. Obedience to the order
was obviously impossible. 1t would have been
insanity to have attempted to carry it out
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Bayne's speech the
committee rose informally to permit the Speaker
to appoint conference committee the Greedy
relief bill.
The committee having resumed its session.
Mr. Kiefer spoke in opposition to the bill, After
reciting the charges and specifications upon
which Porter was tried and sentenced by the
court, he said the House trying ina strange
singular way to heap condemnation on all the
men who composed the court martial, for the
purpose of indicating the man condemned af-
ter trial fairly conducted, not only by the
Judge Advocate general, but by Reverdy John
son. He defended the members of the court
declaring them the peers, and, Judging from the
record, more than the peers of the members
COMPOSING the board of review, and criticised
the action of the board in admitting or rejecting
evidence.
Proceeding, he read the dispatches sent by
Porter to Burnside, and deduced from the Ian
guage that Porter did not intend to fight under
Pope He wanted to get away. His disloyalty
to Pope was so great that he wanted General
Mcclellan to be informed of ii, that he might
know he was right He also quoted from Nc
Clellan's letter to Porter, appealing to him to
orders thereby showing that he knew Porter
was not loyal to his commanding officer.
Mr.. Maginnis-Did not General Mcclellan
write that letter at the request of President lin
coin, at the same time assuring the President
that no letter was needed
Mr.. Keifer-Then he had the concurrence of
the immortal Lincoln that Porter was disobey-
ing his orders He did not believe that Congress
had the power to reverse any part of the
tence of the court. In so far as the sentence
was executed it must stand forever. Congress
might authorize Porters appointment to the
army, but he would be branded guilty with the
mark Of Cain forever and ever.
Mr. Ray, of New York, supported the bill.
He asserted that the charge had not been pre-
ferred against Porter until long after the alleged
disobedience of orders, an assertion which was
vigorously denied by several Republican mem
bers and as vigorously reiterated by Mr.. Ray
He commented upon this as showing that the
charges emanated from prejudice and passion
When Pope came to Washington he filled the
public mind by whispering falsehoods. Porter
noble, true, brave, and patriotic, went to the
President and implored that there should be a
board appointed to inquire into his conduct
While clamoring for a hearing this man Pope
and his satellites, doing all they could
to conceal their dislike, were poison
ing the minds of the Secretary of War and
the President The result was that when they
thought they had sufficiently poisoned their
minds, when thy found the government de-
termned to remove Mcclellan and then and not
till them were the charges preferred and the
courtmartial ordered.
Mr. Muller of Pennsylvania inquired what
authority the gentleman had for saying that
Pope poisoned the mind of the President.
Mr. Ray replied that he could prove it beyond
controversy from the records of the House and
Senate and from Pope's report
Before the conclusion of Mr.. Rays speech the
committee rose.
The session tom will be devoted to de-
bate on the bill. No business will be transacted
except the reception of the report from tho COM
mite agriculture.