The Portland daily press., 1884-01-19
FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
DENATE.

| WASHINGTON, Jan. IS.
Inc cnair laid before the Senate a message
.loui me rresilent, transmitting for CONSIDERS
tion OF Congress, commuDicalion from the acc.
rstartes OF Wer and Navy ON the su bjeSt OF =
relief expedition for Lit, Greedy and his party
and recommending immediate action as the
situation OF the party must n1w be most peril.
Gus; also, correspondence reatinx to the exc
cutlon OF the Chinsse exclusion act as asked
for by the Senate in resolution of the sew
enth asst.
At II S5 the Senate went inso executive ses-
sion.
Mr.. Miller of California, from committee nm
forstgn relati m, reported favorably the bill re-
la'lDg to the execution OF the supplemental
treat of November, 1890, between the United
States aud China, Concerning the opium a
traffic. Placed on calendar.
Inc SENATE then went into executive session
ana Wnen the doors Eer6 reopend adjourned
until Monday
Mr.. Slocum OF New York asked unanimous
consent that the io-morrow's session b. set
Apart for debate only on the Fitz John Porter
bill.
Mr.. Reed OF Maine objected.
Mr.. brumm OF Pennsylvania offered re-
solution which was referre to the committee
on foreign affairs instructing the COMMITTEES TO
make inquiry az to whsthsr auy foreign minis
ter accredited t, the Uuited States has en-
desvorsd to nullify the effects of unanimous
resolution OF t1is House by representations
rejecting on the honor and integrity of Its
member rs.
Mr.. slocum Of New York moved to dispense
with the morning hour aud though there was
general opposition On the Republican side,
the motion secured the requisite two-thirds
vote.
The house then a. IL Is went into committee
OF the whole on the private calendar, the irst
bill being that for the relief of Fltz John Por
ter.
After the majority aud minority REPORTS of
the committee had been read, Mr.. Slocum pro-
ceeded to speak in favor of the bill. He drew
picture OF the excitement which existed at
Porter's trial, and without casting aspersion
on the court, declared the result was a fore
gone conclusion For twenty long wears that
man suffered as even worst criminals seldom
snfftr, bat to-day Fitz John Porter, no matter
what the action of Congress would be- stood
before the world fully vindicAted The same
men who had ruined Porter had struck dead
blow at Sherman, and he had seen ut q review
OF the Uoion army Gen. Sherman refuse his
hand to the Sec etary Of War because he had
tempted to throw disgrace upon him. 1t was
his (Slocum's) firm belief that had not the war
CEASED as it had Shermsn's name would have
been placed side by side with that Of Porter
Mr. Steele OF Indiana defended the person.
mel of the cocrt marta, asserting that it was
satisfactory to Reverdy johnson, Porter's
counsel, who had admitted that Porter had a
fair trial. He gave history Of the orders of
the 9th and 2Sth of August, which he de-
clared Porter didn't disobey orders because he
was afraid, but because he loved Mcclellan
more than he did his country. Porter had
positive orders to push his army against the
right OF the enemy. and ihers was no proof
presented 10 the court mar ial that he did go.
Porter had declined to obey because he said
be would have to fight, to which Mcdowell
had replied, THAT is Whist we came he 70 for )"
Mr.. Msginnis OF Montana inquired why, If
Gen: Mcdowell wanted to fight, he did
not do so?
Both gentlemen spoke In excited manner.
and several other members jumped to their
feet which caused great confusion 10 the COM
mittee ior some moments and drowned the
voices Of the debators.
Continuing Mr.. Steele said that he did not
wish to reflect on the gentlemen who COM
posed the board of review, but Senator Ran.
dolph bad obtaiued list Of names Of persons
seiected and sent 1t TO Willsrd's Hotel and
submitted 1t to the gentlemen there 10 know
whether that was satisfactory or not. Gen.
Schoisld would have liked to get the pomin-
alton for the Presidency, and Randolph car
RED PeDnsylvania and New jersey in his
brseches pocket
Mr.. Rosecrans inquired what the sentlem.n
b I'd said.
Mr.. Steele-I soy bis friends under.
stood, and the country understood, and the
gentleman himself understood that Schofield
w,uld IKE to be tckeed with the nomination.
Mr.. hosecraDs-I understood no such thing
Mr.. Steele containing said: The board
found than Gen. Pops's army would have been
annihi'ated II the 1900 men of Porter's had
gone into the fight. Such reasoning that to
increase the army by an addition OF the best
corps was TO cause extinction was absurd
During the trial a gentleman who was now
an officer OF this House beard Porter saw after
McDoweli's testimony, "They accuse me of
not being loyal to Pope; we'll l was not" He
hoped the gentleman on the other side would
not be led by political bias.
Mr.: Lyman OF Massachusetts, also supported
the bill.
The committee then rose and the House
agreed to holi session tomorrow for depa te
only on the Fitz John Porter bill.
AAi1,nrnad