The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-19
HOUSE.

HOUSE.
Warrington, 1S.-Brumm offered
resolution, which was referred to
the foreign affairs committee. in
structiBg the committee to make
inquiry whether any foreign min.
lister accredited to the United States
had enGeavored to nullify the effects
Of the unanimous resolution of the
House of Representatives, by reflec.
ton On the integrity of its members.
The above was intended to get at
the facts concerning the Hewitt
West affair.
The House then went into COM
mittee Of the whole on the private
calendar, Springer In the chair, the
first bill being for the relief of Fitz-
john Porter.
e SloCum spoke in support Of the
bill. He said II any gentleman de-
sired q clear, concise conception of
this case, he could find it in few
pointed comprehensive sentences
uttered by General Grant. He drew
picture Of the excitement which
existed at the time Of POrter's
trial, and without casting an ssper-
zion on the court, declared the re-
suit as f0regone conclusion. Up
to the hour Of his arrest there had
not been q stain on Porter's es-
cutcheop. But in a time of intense
excitement, when mans passions
usurped reason, his brilliant reputa-
ton was. no shield; for twenty long
years that man had suffered as even
the worst criminals are seldom COM
PEELED 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 vindi-
Gated, but awarded the highest
need Of praise by the most eminent
military authority of the country.
The same men who ruined Porter
struck deadly blow at Sherman,
and he had seen, at review Of the
Union army, General Sherman re-
fuse his hand to the Secretary Of
War before he had attempted to
throw disgrace upon him. 1t was
his (Slocum'r) firm belief that had
not the war closed as it had, Sher-
mans name would have been placed
side by side with PorteI's. Slocum's
speech was warmly applauded.T
Steele followed In opposition to
the bill. He was not surprised
that the gentleman from New York
(Slocum) had neglected to touch the
merits OF the case. He had ap-
pealed to the sympathies Of the
House, but did not say the sentence
Of the court was not just. Steele
proceeded to defend the personnel of
the court mar tial, asserting that it
was satisfactory to Reverdy JOHN
son, Porteiis counsel, VINO admitted
that Porter had a fair trial. He
gave q history of the orders Of the
27th and Goth of August, which he
declared that Porter utterly failed
to obey. For all the good he had
done he might as well have taken
his corps and gone to Washington.
Porter did not disobey orders be-
cause he was afraid; ne did not &C.
cuse him Of that. It was not be-
cause he declined to serve his
country, but it was because he
loved Mcclellan more than his
country. Porter had positive
orders to push his army against the
right of the enemy, and there was
no proof presented to the court mar
tial to show that he did so, and
General Mcdonald said he firmly
believed if Porter had gone In as
ordered by Pope, the Union victory
would have been decisive. Hooker,
Siegel, Reynolds, friends of Porter,
engaged in the battle and yet he
turned not a hand to save his
country on that day. Porter de-
clined to obey because he said, il
he moved his men in as ordered he
would have to fight, to which Nc.
Dowell replied: "That's what he
came here for.3
"Magginpis er q 1ired why, if Nc
Dowell wanted 10 fight, ne didn't
do so?
Calkins replied that was Just what
he did do. Both these gentlemen
spoke In an excited manner. Several
members, jumping to their feet'
caused great confusion in the com,
mittee for some moments anu
drowned the voices of the deDaGeIs'
Continuing; Steele did not WISH "
reflect upon the gentlemen VINO
composed the board OF reVle ~, Ot1
claimed that they did not constitu.e
legal constitutional court, anu uu
der the laws of New York they were
liable for trial for assuming JudlclaI
functiops. Referring to the organ
izatjon OF the board, he said: Sens-
tor Randolph obtained a list Of the
names of the persons selected, sent
If to Wizards hotel, and submitted
it t. to !" gentlemen there to know
wbether it was satisfactory or not;
General Schofield would have IlKeU
to get the nomination for the Pres
dency, and Randolph carried REM ~.
svlyania and New Jersey ID HIS
breeches pocket. 4bo
Rosecrsns inquired what tne