The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-18
FORTY.NINTH CONGRESS-.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE on THE
EDUCATION BILL.
The FiiZ John Porter Discussion In
the IIOuse-Bllls and
Resolutions.

WASHINGTON, February l7.-HOuse.
Mr.. Jones Tex from the Commit
tee on Poftofiices and Postroads, re-
ported a bill granting the ranking
priv eye to Julia ID. Grant. House
calendar.
Mr.. Murphy Iowa., from the Com
mittee on Railways and Canals, re-
ported bill providing for the accept
auce by the United States OF the pro-
posed grant Of the Illinois and Miohi-
gan Capal for the construction of the
Illinois and Mississippi River Canal.
House calendar.
In the morning hour Mr.. Peters
Kas on behalf OF the Committee
on Posiofiices and Postrosds, called
up and the House passed the bill to
make the allowances for clerk hire
to postmasters at first aud second
class postoffices cover the cost Of cler-
zeal labor in the money order BUSH
ness.
Mr.. Warner [0.l on behalf of the
Fame committee, called up, and the
House passed, the bill reducing from 8
to cents the charge for money orders
net exceeding So.
Mr.. McRae Ark ], from the Com
mittee on Public lands, called up, and
the House passed, the bill to protect
homestead settlers within railway
limits. 1t provides that all such Set
tiers restricted TO less than 100 acres
who make an additional entry under
the acts OF March and July, 1879, shall
be entitled TO have the lands covered
by the additional entry patented with
out any further cost or proof Of set
Element and cultivation.
Mr.. Cobb Ind ], on behalf of the
same committee, called up the bill for
letting the Atlantic and Pacific land
grant. The bill forfeits only the lands
adjacent to the incompleted portions
OF the road.
Mr.. McRae Ark. offered as a sub
s'itute the bill of the minority Of the
committee FORGETTING the entire land
grant.
Pending discussion the morning
hour expired and the House went into
committee of the whole (Mr. Springer
I'm ] in the chair on the Fitz John
Porter bill.
Speeches were delivered by Messrs.
Laird [Nebl Kelley [Ps.l and
Thomas III in opposition to the bill.
Mr.. Oates Ala made a speech in
support of the bill and he was listened
to with great attention, as he based
his argument upon his personal
knowledge CT the incidents Of the Goth
OF August. In a quiet, deliberate
..,onnn. h. laaor;haI Tho aaaa,,l,o
made upon that day. There had been
a good deal OF fighting, but there bad
been no general engagement in the
sense in which the term was usually
employed. 1t also insisted thai Porter
had been in fault for not making an
attack on that day. The opportunity
Of victory bad been lost when, early
on the morning OF the 8th, Gems. Nc
Dowell and Porter, with their united
forces, did not interpo5e in front OF
Longstreet at Gainesville. They had
together greater number OF
men than Longstreet, and by inter-
posing they would have delayed his
union with Jackson. But he did not
think that even that interposition
would have given the victory to Pope,
for Jackson had a strong position from
which he could not have been driven.
Porter was not to blame for failing to
interpose, for Mcdowell ranked him;
and II any one was to blame 1t was
Mcdowell. He admitted that in a
strict sense of military discipline Porter
had disobeyed orders, but the punish
ment had been too severe.
The committee then rose, and the
House adjourned,