The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-02-25
BLOODY PAPERS!
NUMEER XIX.

NUMEER XIX.
The heart of every old soldier, as well
as every loyal citizen, must burn with
indignation-not only that the Fitz John
Porter bill passed the House, but at the
sublime impudence of the Rebel Briga-
diers and their Northern allies in the de-
bate upon the bill. 1t may seem strange
to some that the most earnest supporters
of Porter's cause were officers in the Rebel
army. We say it may seem strange
until one reflects that the Rebels were the
beneficiaries by his treachery. One of the
noisiest advocates of Porter is Congress
man Wheeler, of Alabama. Old soldiers
will remember this gentleman as one who
served the Confederacy by midnight raids
and the burning of railroad bridges,
throwing trains from the track, and other
like daring exploits in Alabama and Ten
nessee. By the brilliancy of his genius
he reasons that Porter could not have
assisted Pope by obeying orders. Some
of the Democratic speakers went so far
as to impute cowardice to Mcdowell and
other well known Union officers. The
WllOl0 tllluS was d COlOCSU Ill WhlCh UhO
survivors of the Southern Confederacy
were seeking to repay Porter for his
treachery to Pope and his aid of the Jeff
Davis conspiracy. by lying idly within
hearing of the slaughter of Union troops.
Note the impudence: Abraham Linz
coin approved the sentence of Porter to
dismissal. James A. Garfield was MEM
ber of the Court which tried Porter.
There is not perhaps an intelligent man
living who would think of attempting to
underrate Garfeld's great ability, or his
readiness to grasp the points in testimony.
His was a brilliant mind, and he was Pc
culiarly fitted to give calm, dispassion-
ate verdict upon the testimony before
him. With the Porter case fresh in the
minds of the people, within short time
of the occurrence of his treachery, with
the testimony of those who were present
and saw the events of that terrible day,
| Garfield and his fellow-members of the
Court Martial declared Porter guilty.
| Now, after the lapse of nearly quarter
of a century, these Democratic Congress
| men-many of them EX-Rebels-stepf for
ward and say that the judgment of such
| men as Garfield and Lincoln, formed at
| the time, must be counted as worthless,
and the testimony of Rebel Generals and
Northern Copperheads, be taken as the
sum total of military knowledge and
| judicial honesty. There is not man who
knows anything about military affairs,
who does not believe, deep down in his
heart, that Porter ought to have been
| tried by drum-head Court, and shot, in
| the field. The action of the Court which
tried him has been accepted as just for
all these years, yet no sooner did the
Democrats get majority in the House
and that majority largely composed of
Rebel officers-than Porter comes forward
and asks that the memory of every soldier
killed or wounded at Bull Run be insulted
by restoring the dismissed officer to a
position of honor. And again we say it
is significant that the most Jealous work
ers for Porter are to be found among
those who fought to destroy the Govern
ment. Fully as well forgive jeff Davis
because the people as fully made up their
minds that it would be an outrage to re-
store Porter, as that it would be crime
to pardon the arch-traitor, Davis.
The people of this country need not be
surprised if the spectacle were presented
of these enthusiastic re-writers of history
seeking to pass resolution condemnatory
of the execution of WirZ, the Anderson
vile murderer. Democrats prate about
Justice. That is not what Porter wants
He would choose everything else rather
than justice. Had justice been done il
the first place, Pope would have whipped
the Democrats at Bull Run. Had justict
been done in the second place, Porter
would not be pushing his claims in Wash
ington. The whole farce portrays th'
hatred of the Union soldier. The sol,
ground for Democratic admiration fo
Porter, lies in the fact of his treachery tt
the Union arms, and the passage of tn,
bill by the House is an outrageous insul
to every old soldier, and every man wh'
stood by his country in its time of need