Morning journal and courier., 1885-12-21
GRANT AND FETZ JOHN PORTER.
The Old EHero's Effort To Have Jus-
 lice Done the Dish honored Soldier.

The Old Hero's Effort To Have Jus- 1 tice Done the D1shonored Soldier. WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-General Grants ! unpublished correspondence with Fitz John Porter and others in reference to Porter's vlndication and retirement as major general | of the United States army is in the hands of Generals Wheeler and Bragg, who have charge of the measures in the House of Rep ! resentatives for Porters relief The letters l cover period extending from September 8, 1866, to July f. 1884, and while they contain little that is not already known of General Grants change of attitude in regard to the justice of Porter's conviction by court mar tial in 1863, the correspondence is chiefly in teresting as exhibiting General Grants strong sense of justice in earnestly laboring to remove burden which he believed had been placed on an innocent man. September 8, 1866, Porter wrote to General Grant ask
 ing him to aid in effecting a re-examination
 of the proceedings of the court martial. to
 which the letter replied declining to interfere
 with the actions of the administration prior to his command of the army. In the core
 spondence which passed between September
 10, 1867, and December 1, 1881, General
 Grant appears not to have wavered in
 one, but on December 9, 1881, he wrote to
 General Perter as blows:
 T have been able to give some days to the read
 ing of the papers which you submitted to me, but
 have not finished them * I can
 say now, however, from what I have read that
 believe have heretofore done you injustice,
 both in thought and speech, and if of the same
 opinion when through the examination of your
 l solemn OblipafIOn m rt tn
 correct the wrong So far as have any responsibil
 ity for it.''
 President:
 At the request of General Fitz John Porter have reviewed his trial and the testimony held before the Schofield court of inquiry held in 1879. convinced me that for nineteen ye1rs I have been doing a gallant and efficient soldier very great feel it incumbent upon me no to do whatever lies
 in my power to remove from him and from his fam
 fly the stain upon his good name. am now convinced that he rendered faithful, eff cient and intelligent service. k l would ask that the whole matter be laid before the attorney fer his examination and opinion hop ing tbat you will be able to do this much for off ment that never should be inflicted upon any but the most guilty
 January 28, 1882, General Grant again ad- dressed the President asking the latter to grant an interview to Governor Randolph of New Jersey on behalf of Porter, and Februa- J of Pennsylvania clearly and exhaustively stating his position in the of General Porter and asking Senator Cameron to show the letter to General Logan and any others holding similar views with regard to Porter's guilt. He goes on to show that General Por- ter could not have received the order which he is alleged to have disrbeyed until long after the time at which it is supposed to have reached him and that at the time he actually received it its execution would have been impossible. December 27, 1882, and February 21, 1883, General Grant wrote to General Porter con eerning the bills then before Congress provid-' ng for the retirement of both, saying:
 II care nothing about mine whatever Ia yours
 feel much deeper interest and am ready to say now that if yours can be advanced by laying mine saeie or of eonTss Should esteem it great Sod ps the if S ad bs with avoa 5 by ths Pphe s r oshsF%,se f wenla nas seseP
 November %, 1883, General Grant wrote l eng letter to General Porter summarizing his l easons for changing his mind in the matter of | oorter's guilt which he concluded as follows: |
 Your restoration to the army simply I would ! While men, at least have been restored to the rny becadse of their gallantry and wounds, after onViction and sentence and when there is no doubt f their guilt, given ali their pay for the years | hey out of the service, can see no reason for GUT having less.
 The series concludes with a letter from | feneral Grant to General Porter dated July | , 1884, as follows:
 You can scarcely conceive the pain it caused me 0 read the veto of your bill by the President yes erday. was not prepared for it. His message ; the merest sophistry. It is no doubt great dis ppointmeut to you and your family, but l believe will result ultimately in doing you further jus ice You were dismissed unjustly and you are en- tiled to restoration This would make you ma general from the date of dismissal to the time f restoration. I want to this final decision in our case Be of good cheer and pray that justice nay yet be done you and Yours.''