McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-01-24
sENArE.-Friday january 1s.-The !

SENATE.-Friday January 1s.-The
chair laid before the senate message from
the president transmitting for consideration
OF congress communications from the sec
retaries of war and navy on the subject of
relief for the expedition of the Greedy party,
and recommending immediate action, IS the
situation OF the party is most perilous; also
the correspondence relating to the execu-
ton Of the Chinese exclusion act, asked for
by the senate. Mr.. Miller (Cal. }, from the
committee on foreign relations, reported
favOrably the bill for supplemental COM
mercial treaty with China. prohibiting the
importation and expectation of opium.
HoUsE.-Mr. Brumm offered a resc-
luton, which was referred to the committee
on foreign affairs, instr,lcting the committee
to make inquiry whether any foreign minis
ter accredited to the United States and en-
deavored to nullify the effects Of the unan-
by representatives rejecting upon
the honor and integrity OF Its members.
The house then went into committee of the
whole on the private calendar, Mr.. Springer
In the chair, the first bill being the relief of
Fitz John Porter. Speeches were made on
both sides Of the question, but, without ac-
ton, the house adjourned
HOUsE-SATURDAY, dan. 19.-The
house met to debate on the Fitz John Porter
bill. Mr.. Cutcheon, member of the minority
committee OH military affairs, said 1t was
embarrassing to stand here in the presence
Of military men so distinguished as the gen.
tlemen from California and New York,
tRosecrans and Slocnmb) and to differ from
them In regard to military matter, but the
embarrassment disappeared when he re-
membered that the principal question IN the
case was not matter OF military strategy
but sitting Of facts and laws. Were Gem
eral Garfield alive this bill would not be
here. He expected the bill to be passed by
the men who fought against the Union.
Mr.. SlOcum-The gentleman has said that
if General Garfield were living this bill
would not be here. If he will refer to the
house records of the forty third congress he
will find that James A. Garfield was the
author Of this bill. Applause on the dem
Ocratic side.l Mr.. Calkins-The gentleman
refers to the commission. Mr.. Slocum-I
refer to this: I say that James A. Garfield
Introduced the resolution appointing this
board, Ueers, laughter and cries Of ''Oh.'
on the republican sidel, and this board was
appointed pursuant to his desires.
Cutcheon quoted from letter from Gen.
Garfield to Hon. j d. Cox, dated February
IS, 1880, which stated that he was stunned
by the decision of the Schofield board. Mr..
Slocum-I am no defender of James A. Gar
field. Mr.. Miller (Pa. He does not need
IT, MIR. Slocum (contlnulDg(-I am no de-
fender of Gen. Grant. MIR. Calkins-I
know that. Mr.. Slo"um-For the first time
in my life stand on the floor to hear re-
publicans attack the military reputation of
General Grant. IShouts of ''Oh, mop; on
the republican side. MIR. Cutcheon-
No man holds General Grants
military ability higher than 1 do.
Mr.. Greenleaf spoke in support of the bill,
claiming that the circumstances of the case
not only justified Porter in disobeying
Pope's orders. but that he would have been
liable to censure if he had obeyed them.
He thought the old couplet:
you can and you cant,
You will and You won't,
You'll be damned if you do,
And you'll be damned if you don't"
pretty closely described Porter's position.
On the Goth of August Porter saved his men
from unnecessary slaughter The debate of
the subject was continued by Wise, Horr,
Siocum and Taylor, tOhio.)