Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1882 — FITZ JOHN PORTER. [ARTICLE]

FITZ JOHN PORTER.

Executive Order Pardoning the Convicted General. In reply to Fitz John Porter’s application for a remission of a portion of the sentence of the oonrt-martial being executed, the President has issued the following order, and has thus removed the only legal obstacle to Congressional action and exhausted all his powers in the case under existing laws: I, Chester A. Arthur, President of the United States of America, to whom these presents may come, greeting: Whereas, On the 10th day of Jann&ry, 1863, Fitz John Porter, Major General of Volunteers in the military service of the United States, and also Colonel of the Fifteenth regiment of infantry and Brevet Brigadier General in the United States arm}’, was, by general court-martial, for certain offenses of which he had been thereby convicted, sentenced “to be cashiered and to be forever disqualified from holding any office of trust or profit under the Government of the United Statesand Whebbab, On the 21st of Janaary, 1863, that sentence was duly confirmed by the President of the United States, and by nia order of the same date carried into execution ; and Whereas, So much of that sentence as forever disqualified said Fitz John Porter from holding office, imposed upon him as a continuing penalty, is still being exeented ; and Whereas, Doubts having since arisen concerning the guilt of said Fitz John Porter of the offense whereof he was convicted by said court-martial, founded upon the .result of the investigation ordered on the 12th of April, 1878, by the President of the United States, which are deemed by me to be of sufficient gravity to warrant a remission of that part of the sentence which has not been completely executed; . Now, therefore, know ye, That I, Chester A. Arthur, President of the United States, by virtue of the power vested in me by Ihe constitution of the United States, and'in consideration of the premises, do hereby grant to said FitzJohn Porter a full remission of the hereinbe-fore-mentioned continuing penalty. Chester A. Arthur. These men who are so lavish with advice are generally giving away that which they should reserve and make use of themselves.