The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-06-26
enemy in his front, whether he had orders to
attack or not. He asked Mr.. Sewell what he
thought of that.

attack or not He asked Mr.. Sewell what he
thought of that.
Mr. Logan ridiculed the idea of Porter's
''martyrdom." Lincoln had ceased to be a
martyr in these days, and men who lost Their
lives for the Union cause had come to be
martyrs no longer The martyrs now
were men who were treacherous to the
Union.
Mr.. Teller moved an amendment to appoint
General Alfred Pleasanton on the army re-
tired list.
Mr.. Plumb would venture to say that not a
man in the Senate who served in the Con-
federacy in arms would hesitate to say that
have been dismissed in disgrace, If not shot,
for failing to perform the obvious duty which
Porter failed to perform on the 29th and 30th
of August 1862. Mr.. Plumb understood the
court martial that had tried Porter came
within vote of decreeing his death.
Mr.. Sewell denied it.
Mr.. Plumb said there was no positive prove
of his statement as the court was sworn to
secrecy, but it had gone into the common
knowledge of men. This so called vindica-
tion was a stab at Lincoln.
Mr.. Voorhees, asked whether Gen. Grant
had also stabbed Abraham Lincoln. No man
had said so much as General Grant had said
in vindcation of Gen. Porter.
Mr.. Plumb thought this new reverence of
Mr. Voorhees, for General Grant was as mar
Mr.. Voorhees, said he was protesting no
new reverence for Grant and inquired whe.h-
er Mr.. Plumb had lost his.
Mr.. Plumb did not think it would help for
the friends of Porter to use Grants name.
They had long held him up as everything
that was base.
Mr.. Voorhees, asked what was to be done
with Gen. Grants testimony.
Mr.. Plumb conceded that there was di-
vision among Northern people about the
h IL. IL A. kt&O
question was there nothing significant in the
fact that every man who served in the Con-
federacy would vote to put FitZ John Porter
on the roll of Union heroes.
Mr.. Butler interposed to say he had sit
during this discussion without opening his
mouth either for or against the bill, but he
submitted there was a point beyond which
forbearance ceased to be q virtue. That
point was about reached as far as he was
concerned. 1t had been intimated by inuen-
do almost directly that Southern men were
casting their votes to restore Fitz John Por-
ter to the army because he was disloyal to
the Union. Mr.. Butler protested agains st
that, and for one he would denounce
it as an absolutely and entirely and
unqualfedly untrue, and if it were in anoth-
er forum he would denounce it as cowardly.
Because we are here III exercise of our con-
stitutional rights as senators of this floor. He
said casting votes as our conscience dictated
that we should be aspersed in this way is
beyond my comprehension among men and
gentlemen. have not opened my mouth
for EitZ John Porter. l know of no man
from the South or who was in the Confeder-
ate army who has. In conclusion Mr.
Butler said: Il am the last in the world,
sir, can inform senator from Kansas who
would sustain traitor to the Union cause.
am the last man on this floor who would
have respect for man who | thought deser-
ted his colors, but upon the evidence which
have had do not think Fitz John Porter
was traitor. dont't belive he deserted his
colors, and believing that l shall vote for this
bill.'
Mr.. Plumb-"Ast the senator has not re-
strained himself from making a somewh hat
lively speech here | hope he will not fall un-
der any restraint elsewhere"
Mr.. Butler.-"I can say that to the sena-
tor that if he were to Indulge in just such
sentiments and expressions elsewhere as he
has here he would be very likely to hear
from me-"
After further remarks Mr.. Plumb said he
had just been informed that the President
had vetoed a bill giving a pension of $50 a
mouth to the widow of Major General Hunt
er, who had been presiding officer of the
court martial that had tried Porter. That
was fitting accompaniment for the passage
of the Fitz John Porter bill But the loyal
people of the country would see to it that
Mrs. Hunter did not suffer.
Blair said there were circumstances in
pension almost like stab of death.
Mr.. Voorhees, said he was informed that the
reason for vetoing the bill was because the
case was still pending in the pension office.
Mr.. Blair said this reason did not apply as
this $50 case was entirely out of the juris-
dicJion of pension office. Ii, however, the
President had the excuse of ignorance he
-(Blair) thanked God he had so good ex-
cuse and that the excuse was no worse.
Mr.. Teller's amendment was voted down,
yeas 10, nays %.
Various other amendments were offered
and voted down. The bill was then passed,
yeas so, nays II, as follows:
Yeas-Beck Berry, Blackburn, Brown, Butler,
Cochran, Cockerell, Cook, Colquit, George Glib
Jones of Nevada, Mcpherson, Maxey, Mitchell
Xanee sa Hest y yooThees Waha whtehorn and
Nays-Aldrich, Allison, Conger, Cullom, Evarts
Frye, Hale, Harrison. Hawley, ingalls,, Logan,
Mldanderson, Palmer, Sawyer, Spooner, Teller and
Wilson of Iowa.-17.
Among the pairs announced were the fol-
lowing: Dolp with Hearst, Blair with Pike.
Chaee W ith Kenna, Edmunds with Harris,
McMellan with Sabine, Miller with Hamil-
ton, Dawes with Paine, Platte with Camden,
Plumb with Morgan, Morrill, withSSaulisbnry
Van Wick with Fair, Mitchell of Pennsyl-
vania with Jones. The Senator first named
in each pair would, it is believed, have voted
against the bill and the Senator last named
in its favor. The bill having already passed
the House and not having been amended by
the Senate, now goes to the President for
his signature.
Mr.. Plumb called upon the House bill to
provide for the adjustment of land grants
made by Congress to aid in the construction
of railroad within the State of Kansas, and
for the forfeiture of unearned lands.
Adjournment followed at 6.15 p. m. till
Monday next.
This morning, Immediately after the read.
ing of the journal, the Speaker laid before
the members the various veto messages
which were yesterday transmitted by the
President. They were read by the Clerk and
severally referred to the committee on pen
bill granting pension to the widow of
Major General Hunter was reached, when
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa moved that its con-
sideration be postponed until Tuesday next
The motion was lost, 50 to 141, and the mes
sage took the usual course.
Mr.. Bland offered an amendment to the
silver certificate amendment of yesterday,
so as to place small certificates on the same
footing as to redemption and reissue as the
larger certificates already issued
Mr.. Bayne of Pennsylvania opposed the
amendment and regretted he had not been
here yesterday to: make a point of order
against the original amendment. These
shinplasters would be put in circulation in
lieu OF silver dollars, and the friends OF sill
yer coinage, who had repeatedly said the
people wanted silver dollars, were forced to
stultify themselves.
Mr.. Mcmillan of Tennessee objected to the
silver certificates being characterized as
shinplasters, They had silver back of them,
which might be exchanged for them at the
pleasure of the holder. He was getting sick
and tired of hearing the gentlemen berate
the silver dollar. 1t was currency good
enough for Abraham and for Christ and for
the fathers of the republic.
Mr.. Reed-I did not know Abraham had a
dollar of 4121 grains
Mr.. Weaver of Iowa-The gentleman is a
descendant of Ishmael; he does not come
from Abraham at ALL Uaughter)
Mr.. Bland's amendment was finally
adopted.
The House shortly went into committee of
the whole on the Sundry civil bill.
Dismissed from Custody.
DOVER, n H.. June 25.-Chief Justice