Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-02-08

! question. They wanted Porter restored
/ of course. Porter was a traitor and
they naturally sympathized him. They
/ were so eager to restore Porter that they
| had not self-respect enough to not show
what they wanted. If they had any self
respect at all, they would not vote on
the question.
General Wolford replied to Hcrr: He
regretted that in this congress the gen.
! tleman expressed such sentiments. He
had thought that the ex-confederates
were here as members of the American
congress, with right and duty to vote
on every question. He hoped that no
man, who had served in the confederate
army, had got so mad over the fight that
after 90 years could not do an act OF
| justice to the mall who fought against
him He hoped tnat no man would get
| up and say: Il can't vote on this bill; l
am interested; am still mad. He ua-
derstood that his confederate friends
were here loving the flag and loving
their country. They were here saving
to-day and forever, that they had left
behind them the bitter feelings engene-
dered by the war and everything that
divided the country. Were men forever
to stand and quarrel over old issues:
Let congress GO forward and say it is
ready to do justice TO an injured man.
Mr.. Calkins said: The book was to be
opened where the page was turned down
20 years ago; bat those who opposed
that action would not adopt the means
which they believe Gen. Porter used on
the eth and Goth of August. 1862, and
refuse to fire shot at the enemy, bur on
the contrary would adopt the more gal
liant conduct of the brave soldiers and
sailors, marines on board the "Cumber-
land" When she was swept fore and
aft and was sinking, they fired their
guns at the enemy, manned the yard
arms and gave three cheers for their
country. Those who opposed the bill
would go down; but as they went they
would go down gallantly. Members
were asked by this bill to say that Abra-
ham Lincoln, Edward NJ. Stanton and
Gen. Halleck conspired together to or
ganize a court to convict FItz John Por-
ter, and a gentleman undertook to at
tack the name of VIM. I. Sherman to
help him out. Gen. Sherman was true
to his country and while he and Stanton
had a difficulty, yet with generosity. in
late years the general had said he did not
believe Stanton was untrue to himself or
to him. If these scenes We're to be re-
enacted here, there might come a time
when the bugle blast of the Grand Army
of the Republic by the side of their
camp fires would ask Gen Sherman to
come out of retirement and lead them
again to victory as he did before. Gap
plause on the republican side) The
house, was asked to write, where James
A. Garfield wrote twenty-five years
ago guilty" the words mot guilty"
and to march to the saeret dust of
Abraham Lincoln, the man who saved
the country from destruction, and where
he wrote approved, write the word |
reversed The house might write !
these words if it desired, but the people |
would reverse its writing and spit upon |
it and spurn it.
Curtin then took the floor, and made |
closing debate in favor of the bill. He !
knew Fitz John Porter well and in the |
beginning of the war that the general
was the most enlightened and ardent |
advocate of military discipline. The
record would show, one significant fact, |
coming not SO much from the living as
from the graves of the dead. The first |
citizens who asked for aredress of his |
wrongs were Horace Greeley, Henry |
Wilson and himself. Certainly the tideil- |
ty of these persons to the Union could !
not be questioned. He gave an interest |
ing history of the movements of the army |
of the Potomac in the beginning OF |
the waa and nearly every member of |
the house stood in a cirde around him |
and frequently applauded his remarks.
Referring to the fact that Calcheon ele- |
minated from the record his imputation |
upon Gen. Grant he congratulated that |
gentleman upon the good aste he exhib-
tied and that between the lime of the de- |
livery of the speech and tie publication |
he had time torep.nt. He criticised the
speech of Horr for its expression of opin-
ion that no ex-confederat.s should vote |
upon the bill, and took for granted |
that men who, in error but in belief |
they were right, and had fought in the |
great war We're better men than the |
quartermasters, paymasers, suffers.
contractors and men whs had skunk off |
INTO Canada to evade thewar. Laugh |
ter. In a bailliant pe'oration which |
was warmly applauded, lie appealed to
the house to do justice to wronged |
man, and at the conclasi.n of his speech |
was heartily congratulated by his party |
friends.
The bill then passed; -eas 1S4, nays
rs, as follows: