Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-28

! tIioh7htA lttt 'huh Tue enemy not more
than five hundred, and when the army
positively declined to make another as
sault, no one accused him of being n
traitor. Noone aforementioned sucl an
insinuation or made such suggestion
1t was more wood 10 the lire, more men
10 the front, more yigor and more power
at the North 10 compel obedience 70 the
law General Porter could not expect
to AVOID his share Of trouble, and victims
were required there just because tho
failure OF Mcclellan campaign, broken
up by the council at Washington. had
to bc explained That was all
Now, Mr.. Speaker, if General Porter
! violated orders, If ho did what was nj
legged or charged against him, II ha
| treated with disrc.poct or contempt
General Pope, who was IN supreme com
maud, let me say that General Pope
| ought 10 have known and did know, and
| It is alleged on this floor hat lac knew.
! that General Porter had di-oboycd OF.
J dcrs on the 9th Of August. 1862. and
/ then and th"r" General Pope should
| have arrested him. He had the pnw or
and that wa. his duty. iIc should have
| taken irom General portcra shoulder
/ the insignia Of hi. rank and the sword
from his side He should have done
/ Just what Washington lid with Lee al
| Monmouth on tho field, or what Sheri.
! Ian did with Warren ut the Five Forks
! The history Of war is full Of events of
! this character, where military men have
! been degraded on the field hy their sI-
! pcrior-, and no one on this floor will
/ attempt tp deny iu bis opposition 10 this
/ bill that Pope know. as they allcgc. that
! Porter di-ohcycd order, ON IA. 21th.
and that he was in his command on the
/ 2Nth and 2Hlh, and fought in Pupe.
| presence on the Both un icr his com.
mand. Aud yet, in the exercise Of his
/ power o. commander Of the ARMY. he
/ could have placed his subordinate officer
! under immediate arrest, and in iron. IL
| necessary. Accepting. therefore. a.
settled br the admissions on both sides
! that General Pope knew at the time
that Porter had disobcycl hi- orders
and caused a Disaster 10 his army. il il
no, unjust to Say that with ali that
knowledge If lac then believed IL and
did not put him under arrest he was
unfit 70 command the Army. and n
Pope believed that Porter was q traitor
70 him OF hi. country, or had disobcycd
orders, 1t Is most remarkable that he
continue to command him and witne.-
his active struggles few days aftcrward
10 arrest the progress Of the enemy 10.
ward the capital Of his country.
The Army that had fallen Ia pieces
under the command of General Pope.
and the Reorganization Of which termi.
mated his military career in the East.
wa- taken by Mcclellan, a. tho request
OF the President ~ the United State.
. and TcuTcauz.d. The army Wa- march
cd under Mo- iellau' commend o. south
/ Mountain. fought q battle there. and a
little later fought tho battle of Auiie.
tam, and surely the gentlemen on th.
other -ide know the historical fact that
the battle Of Auiictam produced your
freedom proclamation. President Lin.
coin wrote the freedom proclamation AT
the Soldiers Home during the summer.
II" produced IL to his Cabinet early iu
( th" month of September ~ late in Au.
gust, and at the time "sa-d he was ro.
spou-.llc for the act. az 10 gives th.
policy 90 the war. and declared that b.
did uot hold any member of the Cabinet
responsible lie did not asl, their orin.
ions ~ the policy Of thr proc famatiou
bus sold that he would receive -uese..
ton. as 'u the change Of words ur -eu.
t.uu#. ANIL very ieE IF ans were made.
One or tfy0 suggestions were made ty
Secretary Chase. who was then Secretary
~ Tho Treasury, tut Mr. seward sajd
|"Nhi'c wo accept tho conclusion of the
resident. ! would suggest that lie hal
better wait Tor military ucro-4." aud
that caused tho great President tl pause
aud hesitate, and after Auii.tam. la.
rHriinr that battle Haa military success.
the Proclamation was #gej THe la,.
2 'lo occurred ou tho l1th Of September.
and tan proclamation waa issued o4 tho
-3t General Porter remained iu com.
mend with General Mcclellan. and was
in tho ~ gage uonts to which have just
referred. After the hsttlr u' AuiietEm
General Mcclellan was removed from
tho command Ui the Army. and hia r,.
moyal was disapTr1yed D., th" masses of
the American people. No man during
an The var, commanding troops In the
service Of the Federal Government. had
the confidence of the officers and sol
diers that General Mcclellan had in.
spircd All who lived at the time or
have read honestly know that truth.
his removal that there was even danger
Of characterization.
The removal Of General Mcclellan
disturbed the country seriously, and
General I, ps having failed 10 put Gen
cral Porter under arrest Immediately.
the public sentiment was well known
and demonstrstive that something had
occurred that was improper, and public
sentiment bad TO be relieved once more
by some positive action on the part Of
the Government, and 80 General Porter
was accused. The career Of the man
who had failed to put him under arrest,
and who was heralded from the West a.
a gentleman who had large military ex.
periencc, who had earned success in
battles on the Western rivers, and from
whose future military service the coun.
try expected 80 much, ended in disap
pointmcnt. ! have heard much said
here Of the wonderful military genius Of
General Pope Gentlemen who say they
lv.,,s I.tx.s tuAfroafa1v uneaE ~ hta carly