National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-13
The Bill for His Restoration Discussed in tho
Senate.
Mr. Sewel Speaks in Behalf Of the
Dismissed Officer.
And Mr.. Wilson Makes Strong Argument Against
Interfering With the Sentence
Further Debate on the Postofiico Appro-
priatiop Bill In the House.
THE SENATE.

showing the progress of the work of building the
Panama canal, with photographs Of machinery
used aud views along the route.
Also, communication from the acting attorney
general, with statement showing the number of
persons convicted of crime In the District Of CO.
lumbia for several years past.
The following bills were reported iavorably
from committees and placed on the calendar
by Mr., Jones, Of Florida; The bill to provide for
The erection OF public building at Jacksonville,
by Mr.. Hoar, from the committee on claims: An
original bill to provide for the ascertninment OF
claims OF American citizens for spoliation com
milted by the French prior to July 81, 1901.
by Mr. Harrison, from the committee on mill
tary ailairs: To authorize the extension Of the
military lands at Fortress Monroe.
BY Mr.. pugh, from the committee on education
apply portion of the proceeds Of the public
lands TO public education and to provi 70 for the
more com plete endowment aud support of col
leges for the advancement of scientific and INDUS
trial education.
by Mr. Morrill,, from the committee on finance,
with an amendment in the nature Of Il substitute:
The bill authorizing the secretary of the treasury
to deliver to the rghttul owners the contents Of
mont by the secretary of war.
These are the boxes whose contents Mr. Butler
said when introducing the bill were the prop
valuable principally as heirooms.
Bills were introduced and appropriately referred
as follows:
BY Mr.. Hill: To provide for the erection Of n
public building at Boulier, Col
Mr. Miller snld The senate committee on agri
culture had reported 10 the senate a bill on this
subject, but had this morning concluded to take
up the bill passed by the house Of representatives
and after amending pass 1t.
IT. e house bill provides for the organization In
the department OF agriculture OF bureau of an
imal industry, whose chief should be all expert
onced veterinary surgeon who should examine
the condition OF domestic animals and report the
causes OF contagious or communicable diseases
nmOng them, and the means Of preventing them.
The salary OF the chiefs fixed by the bill at 1000.
1t is made the duty of the commissioner OF agri-
culture TO prepare such rules and regulations
he may deem necessary for the speedy suppress
sion OF the diseases referred to- to report such
rules and regulations TO the executive authorities
OF each state, aud invite their operation in the
enforcement OF the act, and when those authori-
ties accept such rules, &c., then the states sepa-
kately shall pay one.half the expense necessary
10 stamp out tue disease, the national government
paying the other half.
The bill ioTbids railroad and steamboat COM
panles and olhelsfrom transporting cattle affected
by the diseases covered by the bill.
Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is ap.
BhHprla'ed to deray the expenses involved BY the
The bill already reported from the senate com.
mltlee contained two provisions which. Mr.. Miller
stated, that committee wisht now to engraft in
the house bill, when they would be willing to
aonndnn their own and adopt that of the house.
one OF these would provide that III case the
thorties OF state or portion of q state in which
me Diseases existed should fail to take steps to
stamp them Out, or TO o.operate with the COM
missioner of agriculture III doing so. should be
qnarantined by the president, VINO should pro-
Iibt the expectation OF cattle from such state
district. The other provision which the commit
tee desired TO add TO the house bill would require
the payment by the general government of all the
the bill.
Mr. Miller said the committee were of opinion
that TINS would be necessary in order TO secure
speedy and effective action; for, II the govern
ment were obliged to wait TIL the state acted,
great delay might re ult, aud in meanwhile the
cattle in all the states surrounding that III which
the diseases existed would be in danger of infec-
ton. Alter alluIing to the urgent and imme-
reason ofthe breaking out of the foot and mouth
disease IN Kansas MIR, Miller expressed the hope
that The bill would be passed to-day
Mr. Coke said that If 1t had been expected to
pass the bill to-day or in two or three days
great mistake had been made. He strenuously
objected to the bill in It's present shape, for. If
passed, so broad were its terms 1t would include
the disease known as Texas fever. Mr. Coke
would not object to the bill lift specifically named
'pleuro'pneninonia" or lung fever" but WAS OPP
posed 20 bill Which placed every head Of cattle
from Virginia sonthward NJ the mercy of one of
hcer Of the government, 10 matter VINO he might
be. The cattle Of Texas alone represented $780,
100000, the sheep S4OOOO,OOOno to mention horses
states were added to this, the interest was too
large to be under the absolute control OF one man.
from whose decision there was no appeal.
MI Morgan expressed the hope that time for
debate would be permitted. The bill involved
Bome grave constitutional questions.
Alter further remarks by Mr.. Miller, Mr. Coke
Mr.. Maxey aud Mr.. Mcpherson, the hour of two
o'clock having arrived, the chair laid before the
senate tue specs! order for the day. being the bill
for the relefoi Flt2John Porter.
Mr.. Miller moved to lay aside the special order
30 as to permit the continuance OF debate on the
pleuro- pneumonia bill, but the senate by u vote
OFFS yes to "a nays, refused to do so.
MI; sewell then addressed the senate on the
Fitz John Porter bill.
The bill to restore Fitz. John Porter to the arm
was, he said, substantially the same as that passed
by the seuee at the last session of congress. OF
Its merits he had heretofore spoken. He proposed
now 10 make but q few remarks, and tho, o only
10 brush away the few doubts on the justice of the
measure which might exist in the minds of those
VINO hld not hnd lull opportunity to study the
case. The bill was based on the Recommendation
of an advisory board of officers appointed BY the
pres'dent 70 examine exam, inliy ito ne merits Of the
opinion, Justice required should he taken by the
The Gii Mr.. sewell continued, was to author.
ize an act Of justice to be done to nm injured man
That man had leen an officer Of high standing
ard untarnshed reputation through long years Of
faithful and valuable service in the cause of HIS
country. Congress wHs uskei in the bill to net
not as court OF appeals, but as Legislative body
on the voice OF II court of appeals, pronouncIng
the wrong done ana the legal remedy Il was
true, rs had been as'eited that tho decision Of
the advisory hoard had not, In u legal sense the
power ana rights of u decision by II court Of ap.
peal, but military law recognized no court of
appeals unless it be such an advisory board.
esed, Sir PRESIDENT in this case OF Fltljohn Por
ter because he serycd IN the army Of the Potomac
during the eutle period he was connected with
it, from us formation, and because know the
man and his reputation as soldier. | am inter.
the army. | am interested Tor the honor OF our
government ana The sense OF Justice of our people
ami to see that no sGlu shall rest upon them by
the failure Of their representatives TO right wrong
recognize bv our government aud demanded by
our cUuutrymen through an almost united public
press.
The army is Of our creation, and exists by the
will Of congress. ~ becomes our duty to watch
It's government AMI TO remedy its errors. Mr..
President, Gen, PJrters case is mine; II is yours;
IL is hat of congress; IL Is that of every just and
honorable man In the nation.
/ now submit 1t for the action OF the senate,
confident that our countrymen Will be grateful 10
every one who helps TO set his caso Hnlyht.
Mr. Wilson followed. It was not his purpose,
he said, To enter into discussion OF the ques ms
OF fact In this case, That which was plaln to all
men, and about which there was no sort of dis.
pute, Vs. tnut an or or was issued 10 Gen. Fii2-
John Porter by his commanding ollroT when
order ENu, FuI or uHd not obi yed, The co ntry
had been treated to some ingenious guesSeS as 10
what would have happened had Gen Porter
obeyed his orders; but guessing was useless. No
man could tell what would have been the result
OF obedience.
The statement that Porers disobedlence Of
orders preYentd greater disaster was simply
repetition of the guess in another form, The fact
was that there had been disobedience and there
was due to the djs0bedienee could not now be
demonstrated, because we could not repCat The
conditions. This, he continued, was not II quGs-
ton of mere personality Rarely ever, had 50
serious Il question Of military law come before
COngreB, Tor its consideration, At no time had II
been anything so much us II had been II public
question. ,,,---..,- T.. -. ...,..,,,.
standing the environment OF personality by which
Il was sought to surround 1t, The prlgGiple with
which we were dealing was not different from
what II would be If we were formulating an artl'