, 1884-02-02
XVIII. CONGRESS-



Washington, February I.-Dockery
introduced a bill prohibiting the re.
moval of employees of the house. excepI
for cause, during the vacation Of con.
gress. Referred.
A conference was asked by the sen.
ate on the Greeley relief bill. Agreed
to and Randall and Calkins appointed
as conferees.
The speaker appointed Ellis, Hol-
man and Ryan as conferees on the part
Of the house on the bill appropriating
$780, 900 for the support of destitute In
dians in Montana.
The morning hours dispensed with,
the house went into committee OF the
whole, Springer in the chair, on the
Fitz John Porte r bill.
Wolford spoke in support Of the bill
and criticised Horr's speech. He said
the gentleman from Michigan assumed
that ex-confederates were interested In
this case, and had argued hat self re-
spect should prevent them taking part
in the debate. The gentleman would
have had more respect for ex-confed-
crates if like himself he had been In the
front. He had thought ex-confeder-
ates were here as members Of the Amer
lean congress with the right and duty
to vote on every question. He hoped
that no maH who had served in the
confederate army had got SO mad over
the fight that after twenty years he
could not do an act of justice to a man
who fought against him. He hoped no
man would get up and say, 81 can't
vote on this bill, L am Interested, I am
still mad.n
Miliken inquired whether he vas to
understand that the gentleman asked
the members to vote for the relief of
Porter as an act of Cancellation to his
confederate friends. If asked on that
ground, he would vote for relief.
Wolford replied that he asked 1t on
the highest ground ever presented. He
demanded it as an act Of Justice to a
long injured man, applause democrat
ic side). Wolford, as he passed on in
review of the case, was frequently ap-
plauded by the members who
crowded around him in the isles, but
his remarks were at times 30 low as to
be almost inaudible. Porter had his
faults, but he was not guilty of treason.
If the members forgot that wound in
Mexico, let them not forget the Both
of August, 1852, when he got an order
that was sent in time, when the fifth
army corps went into battle with Por-
ter at their head, when they marched
into jaws of death, into gates of
hell. +" that was magnificent and hat
also was war. Applause on democratic
5ide). For the fifth army corps that
was watching every vote for that
corps which left 200 men on the field
for that magnificent corps which was,
and is, and always would be the stead
fast and unfaltering friend of Porter.
Give him back to them. The leader of
the confederacy went down the steps OF
the capitol, threatening to return and
destroy it. He failed in the attempt,
and yet he walked in freedom. Men
who penned union soldiers in Ander-
~sonville and Libby still lived officers
trained at West Point, whose treason
needed no investigation, were sitting
in this chamber. Should Porter be the
by the nationp He spoke for Porter
when he asked for the last time for jus.
tice at the bar of his country's con
gress. Let that congress look at his
proofs and do him justice. He had
no authority from Porter to go further
but speaking for himself he would
say !: "If you cannot do him justice
let US give him mercy, and taking hin
from the side of Judas and Arnold
place him by the side Of those who
fought with him, who loved and hon
ored him by the side Of Sykes, ant
Getty, and Terry, and Schofeld, ant
Grant. Applause on democratic
side. q
Calkins began an argument in oppo
sition to the bill by the statement tina
he knew there was 10 doubt about it
passage. The book was to be openea
where the page was turned dow
twenty years ago, but those VIII
opposed that action would not adop
the means which they believed Ger
Porter used on the 9th and goth c
August, and refuse to fire a shot az tn
enemy, but, on the contrary. woul
adopt the more gallant conduct Of th
brave soldiers, sailors and marines o
board the Cumberland when abe wa
i, swept fore and aft, and was sinking
They fired their guns at the enem,
manned the yard arms. and gave thr,
, cheers for their country. [Applaul
from republican side.
This measure might be called a VII
Q dication, but he denied 1t. More tina
four millions of voters Of this count
9 would deny it. Speaking Of the Graz
letter, he said he knew Grant well, al