Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-18
4 HOT FIGHT FOR PORTER
.,, OATES SHOWS WHERE THE
" FEDERALS SLIPPED UP.

,,.oo,veu and the Suspended Generai
sbould Have Attacked LOnRstreet Be-
S.o ae Effected His Junction with
,..kson-No Chance that the stars ana
80 could Have Been Defeated, How
ever.
WAsHrNGTON, Feb. 17.-At the eXpira-
non of tae morning hour to-day the House
,rent into committee Of the whole on the
v,.-iobp Porter bill. Mr.. Lard, OF Ne
nrosta. delivered a carefully prepared arr
,nment in support of the bill, maintain
,,g tbat gen. Porter was innocent OF any
disloyaltv. either to Gen. Pope or to his
country. and declaring that Gen. Porters
enemies had created mountains of disobe-
Jience out Of mole hills Of discretion, aud
mat the trial and conviction of Gen. Por-
,er had beena farce.
THE APPEAL TO THE DEAD
Tho opponents OF the bill made the
,rsfomarV appeal to the dead. Had the
9onse abdicated in favor of the gravey
Wbv prate about the deeds Of the dead
VINO had sustained the sentenceg Why
,bis strut and fret about the almighty
JeadY Was not their memory the COM
man heritage of all? Out upon this inl-
mons and untimely raising OF the dead,
ass defensible in detate than body snatch
ing was in practice, an argument which
depended on a ghost tor its validity was
already undone.
GRANTS GENEROSITY.
If the gentlemen would not permit
Gods peaceful rest to the dead, then there
vas one from all that host whose name
he wound honor. He need not name him,
for on the rolls OF American immortality
mere was but one Grant. When the roll
should be called he trusted he would be
found still following the lead OF his old
commander and seeking to do what, II
living, Grant would do by voting for the
restoration of Fitz-John Porter. Ap-
pause.
Mr.. Kelley, Of Pennsylvania, opposed
the bill, characterizing Gen. Porter as a
great soldier who, forgetting his country
and patriotism, had sunk himself in In
fanny by regarding Office and military
duty as a mere personal trust
for himself and his clique or coterie. Mr.
Kelley asked leave to have printed with
I bis speech a review OF the evidence given
before the court martial prepared by
Judge Advocate Holt, but Mr.. Bragg, Of
Wisconsin, objected.
MR.. OATES PARTICIPATION.
Mr.. Oates, of Alabama, made a speech
10 support of the bill, and he was listened
10 with eat attention, as he based his
argument upon his personal knowledge of
The inoidents OF August %. In Qaiet
and deliberate manner he described the
assaults made upon that day. There had
been a good deal Fsnting, but there had
been 40 general Engagement in tue sense
TO- which that term was usually employed.
1t was insisted that Gen. Porter had been
In fault for not making an attack on that
|day.
PORTER's ONLY CHANCE.
The opportunity of victory had been
lost when early in the morning OF the both
Generals Mcdowell and Porter, with
their united forces, did not interpOse in
'front.' of Gen. Longstreet at Gainesville.
They had together greater number Of
men than Gen. LOngstreet. and by inter-
posing they would lave delayed his union
with Gen. jackson, but he did not think
that even tnat interpositi0n would have
given victory to Gen. Pope, Tor Gen. Jack
son had a strong position from which he
could not have been driven. Gen. Porter
was not to blame for failing TO interpOse,
0r Gen. Mcdowell ranked him and if
any one was 10 blame it was Gen. Nc
Dowell.
DIsOBEDIENCE ADMITTED.
He admitted that in the strict sense of
military discipline Gen. Porter had dis
oOeyed orders, but his punishment had
been too severe.
Mr Curtin, of Pennsylvania, took the
ioor but merely declaring that he did not
agree with the admission made by the
last speaker, he postponed further re-
marks until tomorrow.
Mr, Weber of New Ork earnestly SIM.
ported the bill, aud regretted that upon
Wis question he parted company with
many political friends whose motives be
nd not impugn butwhose conclusions be
could only explain as being based on the
'leOry that favorable consideration Of the
Hil would reflect on some whose names
we're heritage Of the country. The COM
ttee then rose and the House at $40
clock adjourned.
EDMVTNDG3 REGnTJTTTONS