Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-02
Forty Eighth Conkress---First Session.
WASHINGTON, Febuary 1.


 HoUsE-Mr. Dockery (Mo) from the Com- mittee on Accounts offered in the House to- day resolution to amend the rules so that nc employe shall be removed except for cause during the vacation of Congress.
 On motion of MT. Randall, of Pennsylva- mia, the further conference asked by the Senate on the Greedy relief bill was agreed to and Messrs. Randall and Calklns were appointed as conferes.
 The morning hour was dispensed with and the House went into Committee of the Whole on the F1tz John Porter bill.
 William Walter Phelps, of New Jersey, speaking for Fitz John Porter. expressed for him his regrets that any unk1nd word or d. fusion should have been made and might he not say the same for his friends on both sides of the question? He defended Porter because he was his constituent and it wss his duty and because he believed him an hon. est and loyal man. Porter's offense, he said, was a refusal to fight. He did not fight because the order came too late and if the order had come in time he should not have fought for 1t would have led to the certain destruct of his command. The order to march at o'clock and be at Bristow Station he could not obey instantly, but he obeyed it as far as it was possible for him to do so. Mir Phelps, like most of those who have defended him, went into the history of the events to sustain his posi- tion that there was neither wilful disobedienoe of orders nor unfavorable re- suits from his delay, but that on the contrary much was saved by Porter's wise discretion. MT, Phelps read opinions from Charles OConor, Edward Everett and many other em- inent pleaders of the country that the origl- nal verdict was not warranted by the evil deuce and the new evidence shed great light in his favor on the case. Referring to Gen eral Garfield's position in this case Mir. Phelps cited the resolution for an advisory board and said that in the letter to General Cox which had been so often quoted by the onnonents of the bill General Garfield had frankly said he had not carefully axsmined the new evidence. He admitted that the despatches or Porter were disrespectful, but said they were written in fullness and frankness to his com rades who had requested them and who ob- tained their only information from him. He regretted that Porter had said what history proved true. (Applause.) Take him, said he in closing, from the side of Judas and Arnold and place him by the side of the men with whom he fought. Cloud applause). Mr. Boutelle, of Maine, said but one Maine soldier had ever asked his support of Porter, while scores had protested against the bill He had today received 8 letter from gal liant soldier of the First Maine cavalry, who was Porter's orderly on that day and bore his aao. expressing the astonishment and lndig- nation of his comrades at the conduct Of
 MT. Brown, of Pennsylvania, regretted that the question of Porter's vindication could not be relegated to the State of New Jersey, which had already yindicated the man mar
 Mir Perkins, of Kansas, spoke for five minutes in opposition to the pill.
 Messfg. Baum, of RennyslYania, J. T. Taylor of O6io. Hepburn of Iowa, and Mil Ter. of Pennsylvania. made five minute speeches in opposition to the bill.
 The bill was then read for amendment. Under the five minute rule for debate Mr. | Laird. of Nebraska. who had served all though the war with Porter, made an ex- trenely earnest speech in his defense.