Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-28
FITz.JoHN PORTER.
Cnntinned from BAL 80.

distance from the capital, and an officer
in command of an army Of Austris at
that time who violated the orders of the
Aulic Council was in dunger OF losing
his head, and certainly his command.
We initiated that council here in Wash.
ington. and il is neither unreasonable
nor unjust, but faithful 90 the truth OF
history, to say that most of our dsRe.
ters resulted from the fact that the
movements OF the armies were directed
rom this center, and not by the will or
plans of the generals in command in the
field.
In the beginning of the French revo.
luton the Austriaus sent three armies
INTO Italy, commanded hy well.trlined
soldiers, each one being directed where
he was to move his armies, whore hewas
to get his means of supply, on what
lines and angles he should move-posi.
tive directions as to their future action.
The French people, at that time in the
throes of a fearful revolution, had broken
down absolute power, had cru-hed the
remnants of feudalism and vassalage
into the earth, and in their attempt to
gain freedom and TO Tindicatc the rights
of humanity they incurred thehostility
of all the centralized governments of
Europe. man suddenly appeared in
the field. Educated MS q soldier he had
attained some distinction as a suhordin.
ate officer at Toulon and had quellcd m.
direction ut Paris. He came from the
eople, and defying low birth and iron
fortune, became a captain Of men. II"
d thrty-five thousand ill.fcd, ragged
cnchmen, without coJhmi.sary or .
uartermaster department at al. eni
uspired by the love Of liberty he dashed
inside the scientific lines Of the Austri,
ans and destroyed three armies, either
of them Of superior force ~ his own.
conquered Italy, humiliated the Aus.
trian Government, and took and de
stroyed the council. And If NAPOLEON
Bonlparte had died then he would have
left a better memory behind than after
his ambition robbed him of his patriot
ism. Laughter.
| say he not only destroyed their arm.
les and gave freedom to Italy, but he
took the council. There was the result
Of an attempt to control armies from
the central government, and it would
certainly have been rs well for our
country if our central government had
taken counsel from such a result, a.
history is philosophy teaching by exam.
ple. When General Grant came to
Washington he was nut in supreme
command of all the armies of the Re
public, and the counsels at Washington
ceased to control. From the day Grant
was put in command no military dlsas
ters occurred. The armies were success
ful, as these gentlemen who surround
me, and who served in the army OF the
Confederate States, 50 fully understand
IL is said that Grants testimony il no,
TO be taken in its full force because, as
! understand the allegation, he was
charged the other day in this House with
some kind Of understanding that he was
TO be promoted in rank and thus re
tired, and his advocacy Of General Por
ter would be alloyed with the dros. &C
money and the qualification Of his am.
bition
Why, Mr.. Speaker. there never has
been one day since have had the honor
Of a seat in this House aud have been
allowed to vote, although opposod 20
General Grant politically, on which
would not have voted 70 restore him to
the Army and give him pay for the
service he has rendered to his country.
And 80 far from there being combna-
tion on either side CT the Chamber to
make any opposition to such measure
have never heard il mentioned. except
bv few Of the Democratic members
that have said TO me they would vote "a
I did, in casual conversati1n. never
objected to it, and 1t was quite unneccs.
sary for the gentleman from Michigan
.
sion prevailed en- this side of the III Hu .a
that any bargain of that kind had oc.
CURED. / congratulate that gentleman
on his good taste 10 the fact that he did
not publish what he said in his speech
Laughter The repentance Of the
man who two thousand years ago re-
pented in his last hour was, not too
late, but very close on the margin. lt
i- said by one Of the Scotch poets
Between the saaIie and the ground.
Mercy was asked aud mercy fyuad.
50 between the time that eloquent
gentleman delivered his speech and the
time the printer put il in type he re
pented laughter because he knows
that General Grants testimony, which
is certainly the greatest military author.
ity in this country. is added TO this case
Certain remarks of the gentleman from
Michigan Mr.. HoRR the other night
were admirably replied to by the gentle.
man from Kentucky Mr. WoLroRDl to.
day. That gentleman took the House
by surprise by his reply to the gentle
man from Michigan. The gentleman
from Michigan amused the House with
his grotesque wit, as he always does,
and when he appealed to the gentleman
on this side he said "You were in the
rebellion against this Government and
have no right to vote on this matter
for this IL our business this is our gen.
eral and not yours" Well, sir, do not
admire any such principle, nor can I
think that any logic Of the American
citizen can reach it. don't believe any
such thing. IF we are Of any conse.
quence here or in the family Of the na.
ton Of the world we have nationality.
Twenty years have returned US to
peace and, ! pray God, to fraternity
The gentleman from Michigan remem.
bers what we fought these men for. 1t