Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-07
FRIDAY, FEB. 1.

Senute-No work was done in the SEN
ate. The Fitz John Porter bill which
was to come to a vote in the house and
upon which a heated debate was expect
ed took the attention of everybody and
nearly every senator went to the house
to listen to it.
HouSe-The Fitz John Porter bill &C
cupied the attention of the house all
day. A great deal of feeling was man
ifested by both sides. AT one time it
looked as though there would be con-
fict between Henley (dem.), of Califor-
MIA, and Cutcheon (rep), Of Michigan.
Mr.. Cutcheon made speech on this
question a week ago, in which he Sc
verely attacked Gen. Grant for changing
his opinion of Porter. He said Grant
had always been against Porter till he
found democratic house was elected
Then, becausea bill was before congress
to make him Grant a general for life,
he had suddenly changed his mind and
now announced himself in favor
of Porter Cutcheon said all he
did it for was to curry favor
with the democrats and get them to vote
for him as general. But, it seems that
when CutcheOn's speech was printed in
the Congressional record, his charge
against Grant was left out. To-day Mr..
Henley criticised the action of CutcheOn
in casting imDutatiOns uDoa Gen. Grant
and then striking them out of the record.
In reply CutcheOn expressed a high
appreciation of the military abilities of
Gen. Grant; but being pressed by Hen
ley with the question, "why did YOU
strike out your remarkS?" was COMPLIED
TO admit that he left them out because
he wanted to, an admission which caused
much merriment, and which made Mr..
Cutcheon very mad, and friends had to
interfere between him and Henley.
A number Of other short speeches were
made, but the speeches of the day were
made by Horn, (rep) Wolford, (dem.)
Calkins, (rep.) and Andrew G. Curtin,
ldem J the famous old war Governor of
Pennsylvania.
Horn made splendid speech and was
cheered to the echo. He said we had too
many traitors now. Even here in the
house, we were surrounded by ex-trai-
tors and ex-c0nfederates who had the
brazen effrontry to come here to con-
gress and vote and make speeches on this
question. They wanted Porter IT st ored
of course. Porter was a traitor and
they naturally sympathized him. They
had not self-respect enough to not show
what they wanted. IT they had any self
respect at all, they would not vote on
the question.
General Wolford replied to Horr: 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 20 years could not do an act of
justice to the man who fought against
hum He hoped that no man would get
up and say: Il can't vote on this bill; [
am interested; I am still mad. He up-
derstOod that his confederate friends
were here loving the flag and loving
their country. They were here saying
to-day and forever, that they had left
behind them the bitter feelings engene-
dered by the war and everything that
divided the country. We're 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
% years ago; but those who opposed
that action would not adopt the means
which they believe Gen. Porter used on
the 9th and goth of August, 1862, and
refuse to fire a shot at the enemy, but 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 CALAMITY. Members
were asked by this bill to say that Abra-
ham Lincoln, Edward NJ. Stanton and
Gen. Halleck conspired together to or
ganize cOlrt 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 difficulty, yet with generosity, in
late years the general had said he did not
believe Stanton was untrue to himself or
to him. If th,se scenes were 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
Ncll11 L1C9 "Ould Ctoh NCu OII0TIudu 10
come out of retirement and lead them
again to victory as he did before ZAP
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 sacret 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, bat the people
would reverse its writing and spit upon
it and spurn it.
Curtin then took the floor, and made
a 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
frora the graves Of the dead. The first
citizens who asked for REDRESS of his
wrongs were Horace Greeley, Henry
Wilson and himself. Certainly the fidei11-
ty of these persons to the Union could