The National tribune., 1886-02-25
TIE 10TH CONGRESS,
The FitZ-JOhn Porter Bill Passed by
the House.
GEN. FITZ-JOHN PORTER.

week The vexed question of Gen. Porter 5
! guilt or innocence of the grave charges pre-
| ferred against him after the second battle of
! Bull Run, and for which he was tried by court
/ martial and dismissed the service, has been ey-
haustively discussed by every Congress for
! many years and each succeeding contest seemed
| TO be more bitter than those preceding. Last
week the fight, particularly during the CLOSING g
hours of the debate, was exceedingly warm,
| and many bitter words were exchanged. Popes
! battle was fought over again almost as furIously
| rs III the actual conflict OF arms under that An
gust sun in 1862 on the soil of Virginia. In this
! case, however, tongues were the weapons, and
! verbs pronOuns and pOlysyllabic adjectiyes the
only ammunition. SO that stretchers and ambu-
| larceS and Surgeons were not necessary when
| the fight was done. Just why the case of Gen.
! Porter should have become strictly party
| question is not clear, bat such, however, is the
! fact.
During the debate last week some % set
/ speeches Were made on this bill. The principal
! arguments in its favor were made by Messrs.
| Wolford tky.), Swinburne (N. ", Wheeler
! ALA, Bragg (Wis) Curtin Pa, Laird (Neb.)
| Phelps \. j., Oates (Ala.), Haynes N. IL. J
| and Weber (N. " Speeches against the bill
were made by Messrs. Cutcheon Mich, Steele
! 1nd.), Houk (Tenn.), Negey Pa.D, Fuller
| Iowa. Brown Pa Peters, Perkins and Han
/ back KAN, Grout VT, Rowell (lll1, Bur-
rows (Mich.), Kelley pa and Thomas (Ill.)
! We give few brief extracts from some of the
! many volumnOuS speeches, to illustrate the
! character OF the debate.
! Speaking for the bill, Mr. Wolford lky.) con-
! tended that the trial upon which Gen. Porter
! had been convicted had not been a fair one.
Pope had been seeking 4 man upon whom to
lay the blame for being whipped. and had Sc
lccted Porter. He Mr. Wolfordl blamed Gen
Lee Gen. Longstrect, Gen. Jackson. and all the
Confederate soldiers for the defeat, but Pope
had blamed Union General who had nobly
done his duty
Mr.. Curtin pa, abiding to Gen. Grants
change of mind and his efforts in behalf of
Porter, said:
When the last court was appointed, Grant turned
his attention with renewed interest to the case
One gentlcman complains that Fitz-John Porter
m?ortuned Grant. Thank God he did He inn
portuncd different Presidents in succession He
knocked at the doors of this Hall. He demanded
for himself and his children the Justice due TO
American citizen. If he importnnci Grant, he had
the right to do so; and Grant yielded. Having
made investigation of the whole case Grant de-
clared to the American people that he had been
mistaken. Why, sir. death came to Grant when he
knew II was coming. The grim monster was feel
ing for his heart>trings day by day and hour by
hour. So long as he could speak his voice for
his country, its pcrpetuiiy its peace its grandeur
When he could no longer speak, his writing was
all i'll the same strain. Why, MIR. Chairman and
gentlemen, there is not in all history death
POLITICALLY sublime rs Grants. And he will be there
to answer the accusations which the gentleman
said will be sustained above. Look out for Grant
L hope lny friend from Michigan mfr: Cutcheonl
VIII get there; but look out for Grant because on
earth or III heaven that man will be believed.
Mr.. Wheeler ala the old Confederate cav
airy officer-in advocating the bill, said:
Do not misunderstood the attitude of myself and
other eX-ConfedeTatc soldiers who vote for this
bill do not mSinterpret our interest in this case.
We advocate and support this bill because
in it the only means TO repair cruel wrong; to
atone for gross, though, perhaps, unintentiona in
justice; To relieve a gallant soldier and honorable
IF N-rll long and
nobly endured. As soldiers are bound to spare
no effort TO relieve this brave commander from
meritcd disgrace; men we feel called upon to do
al! in our power to suocor the weak and suffering;
as gentlemen are obliged to do, frankly and
feariessly, what we conceive TO be honorable and
right; as servants of the people we must strive to
secure this tardy injustice to one who ably
served them aud rs citizens of this great Republic
il is duty and our pride to cherish and defend
its honor and we, therefore, seek to e!face this blot
upon the fair fame of our country.
Mr.. Phelps IN. j. said he had believed for
90 years that Porter was traitor and deserved
10 be hanged. That was the popular opinion
of the loyal North, and his heart had been with
it, He had changed his opinion and believed
that Porter was an honest man and q loyal SOL
der when, as his Representative, he had been
obliged to examine the evidence and learn the
facts The good name of Porter had been de-
stroyed, and blot had been indclibly placed
upon the name of American justice. How had
be borne the sacrifice? As only brave man
and good man could bear it. He fed from
the public eye and took his family with him,
and he sought never again to leave his seclu-
sion except when, in the great mission of his
life. he went ont to seize or to display fresh
evidence of his innocence. In conclusion Mr.
Phelps said: 1T is an old story; it is weari-
some one to us, but to him it is the story of q
life. Let us to-day as courageous friends Of
justice determine that we will make what rep
aratiOn we can, aud that we will end now and
forever. so far as this House is concerned, the
strangest and saddest story in American his
tory"
Among the Republicans who supported the
bill were Messrs. Laird (Neb.), Swinburne and
Weber IN. ", who were soldiers in Porter's
Corps. Mr.. Weber, in closing his remarks.
said:
These are few Of the reasons why intend to
vote for this bill, and while shall not conceal my
regret that SO many OF my party associates lit
to oppose it do not hesitate TO express my salts
faction that upon this question my Judgment is in
entire harmony with my sympathies. and the sa-
cred memories of comradcs at Gaines's Mill and
Malvern Hill are happily blended and in harmo-
NOUS accord with the belief that my duty measured
by my oath rs member and my conscience a
man demand the most earnest of my humble eff
forts to obtain justice for my old Division and
Corps commander, Gen. Fitz-John Porter.
From the many eloquent utteranceS against
the bill we quote the following:
Mr.. Burrows (Mich.):
The findings and sentence of the court were ap-
proved by Abraham Lincoln, whose name has be-
come synonym OF justice and honesty But it
has been said that injustice was done FitZ-John
Porter and that the Judgment of the court was
swayed by the passions and preudiees of the hour.
Sir. it Is notorious fact that u majority of that
court were Porters personal friends none his enc
mics. He himself, upon his arraignment, declared
himself content with the detail. The sentence of
the court gives of its friendship for if
EitZ-JOhn Porter guilty of one half with which
he charged he ought to have paid The forfeit of
his life. The blood that courses in his veins is no
richer than that which warns the heart of the
humblest subatern, and if private soldier had
been guilty of what Fitz- John Porter was CON
victed he would have been shot on the field. But
do you come here for an impartial tribunal. Is
there no bias in this panel? AT the risk of being
charged with reviving the memories of the past,
may inquire u there are not some gentlemen in
this array whose cause was directly benefited by
are or can be impartial Judges? DO you believe
the betrayer OF public trust should be tried by the
parties who prOfted by the treachcryo is that
your idea of an impartial verdict? What IL tri,-
vesty is this upon Justice The beneiciaries of Por-
ters crime gravely sit in judgment TO condemn Lin
coin and Garfield and acquit Porter! That too
after % years nearly quarter of IL century has
scaled the lips OF witnesses and Sileuced the voice
of the court. Why not let this judgment stand?
Why seek to reverse it?
But let Inc say to the majority of this House and
TO the Democratic party that you are making Il
ieafIul mistake III sgna!izIng your return to
tional control by impeachug the honesty of Abrl-
ham Lincoln and reversing the judgment of James
A. Garfield. Though their lips are sealcd be as
sured that the people who honored them and their
works living will defend them dead You may
enter Judgment against them here but it will he
Indignantly reversed by the grand assiZes of the
people. am conscious that we can do little else