Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-01-26

| The Senate then vent into executive ses-
sion and afrerw ards adjourned until Mon
day.
The morning hour having been dispensed
with the House At l2.2 .25 vent int committee
of the whole, Mr.. Springer of Illinois IN the
chair, on the Fitz John Porter bill.
Mr.. Z. B. Taylor of Ohio took the floor in
order to conclude his speech begun Saturday
last, in opposition to the bill, He proceeded
to make a resume of the history Of the case,
and said: The gentlemen from the South
must not believe that by restoring Porter
they were holding out the olive branch OF
peace, or that they were allaying imitation,
were creating il. Did the old flag need the
support of the man who stopped on the field
within hearing of the enemy because he dis
liked his commander? Would the stars in
that Gag be any brighter? Let no man Who
loved his country less than he disliked his
commander, take hold of that flag. He (Tsy-
lori had formed the opinion that his protec-
tioa as an American citizens was not best
served by having such men connected with
the army. (Applause on the republican
side.)
Mr.. Bayne of Penn, spoke in support of
bill While quoting from Gen. Longstreets
testimony to show the position of the troops
on the 29th Of Aug.
He was interrupted BY Mr.. Herbert of
Ala, who stated he belonged to Longstreets
corps and served in Wilcox's division. He
knew that the division was deployed and in
line before l2 O'Clock, and the impression
was that it was to march earlier; waited in
line and wondered why we were not carried
into the fight, and he never understood the
reason for that idleness until he examined
the testimony. He did not believe and
thanked God for it, that neither the Union
army nor the Confederate army during the
late war furnished Benedict Arnold.
Proceeding with the argument, Bayne said
the ''430 order," the contemplated attack on
Jacksons flank, and at the time Pope
wrote the order he did not know Of the pres.
ence of Longstreet's force. Obedience to the
order was impossible and it would have been
insanity to have attempted to carry it out.
After the appointment of q conference
committee on the Greely relief bill, Mr..
Keifer of Ohio spoke in opposition to the
Porter bill. He quoted from McCellan's let.
ter to Porter. appealing to him to observe
obedience to POpe's orders, thereby showing
he knew that Porter was not loyal to the com
manding officer.
Mr. Maginnis of Montana-Did not Nc.
Cellan write that letter at the request o.
President Lincoln, at the same time assuring
the President that no letter was needed?
Mr.. Keifer-Then he had the concurrence
of the immortal Lincoln-that Porter wal
disobeying orders? Applause on the repub
| lican side
Mr.. Keifer did not believe that Congress
had the power to reverse any part of the sen
tence of the court. In so far as the sentsnct
was executed it must stand forever. Con
, gress might authorize POrters appointment
to the army, but he would be branded with
the guilty mark of Cain-fOrever and for.
ever. Applause.
| Mr.. Rsy of New York supported the bill
He contended that Porter's act was loyal and
wise. When Mcclellan wrote the letter i
was at the request of President Lincoln, be
cause this man. Pope. in order to excuse hi
own blunders, his own ignorance and owr
incompetency after having been guilty Of thu
most egregious blunders that ever disgracet
the military annals of any country; aftel
singing shafts of slander, he had sought tc
turn aside the responsibilities OF the failure
OF his campaign. That was the verdict o
history and it was the verdict of the peopl,
of the country. When Pope came to Wash
ington and filed the public mind with whis
pers of falsehood, Porter, noble, true, brave
| pAtIiotiC, WeHt to Tue ITeSlueut Auu liupiOret
the board of inquiry to inquire into his Con
duct. While he was clamoring for Il hearing
this man Pope and his satellites were tryine
to conceal their blunder and were poisoning
the minds of the secretary of war and tn,
President.
Mr.. Miller of Pa, inquired what authorit!
the gentleman had for saying that Pop,
| poisoned the mind of the President
Mr.. Ray replied that he could prove it be
yond a!l controversy from the records of tn,
House and Senate and from Pope's own re
port.
Before the conclusion of Mr.. Rays speecl
the committee rose.
The House then adjourned. The session
tomorrow will be devoted to debate on the
Porter bill.