Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1880 — The Case of Fitz John Porter. [ARTICLE]

The Case of Fitz John Porter.

The minority of the House Committee on Military Affairs, consisting of A. G. McCook, of New York; B. F. Marsh, of Illinois, and Thomas M. Browne, of Indiana, in their report to Congress on the Fitz John Porter case, oppose the proposition of the majority of the committee that Tcrttr be res tor ad to his rank and pay. They say; “His trial was held within a month of the battle of Manassas, and when witnesses who were present on the side of the national forces were easily obtained. The movements of the armies were fresh in the mfnds of those interested. The court was composed of men eminent in their profession, six of them graduates of West Point, some intimate personal friends of accused, and some have become equally eminent in civil life, aud nothing has been shown to convince us that they were not honestly anxious to do justice in accordance with their oathe, without partiality, favor, or affection. They conclude that Porter was without excuse for having remained so loDg inactive in the presence of the enemy with two fine divisions while a great battle was being fought in his vicinity, and that had he acted as he should have done, by freeing the rest of the Union line, he would probably have prevented the reverse which the latter sustained at the close of the day. The committee say they have “concluded to recommend the passage of a joint resolution removing so much of litz John Porter’s sentence as prohibits him from holding any office of profit or trust under the Government”