Porter, Fitz-John (1822-1901) to Captain Julius Walker Adams
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00214.02.08 Author/Creator: Porter, Fitz-John (1822-1901) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 05 July 1881 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20.2 x 12.7 cm. Order a Copy
Mentions the Slater letters, noting that Slater is an excellent Republican who served in the 13th New York Volunteers, and was badly wounded in the Battle of Second Manassas. Discusses "a terrible blow to the country" at length, referring to the 2 July 1881 shooting of President James Garfield. Remarks that in his youth, the highest political offense that took place was the pulling of Jackson's nose (President Andrew Jackson), but "now it has got to murder- in two cases" (referring to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and Garfield). Relates events which took place after Lincoln's murder, when Porter saved a drunkard who spoke against Lincoln from a lynch mob. Notes that at the time, Senator Henry Moore Teller was there as a lawyer for Porter's company. Teller did not support Porter in that instance, being "either too much of a coward or a partisan to move his tongue or hand to stop the danger." Hopes the President will get well: "Having gone through this myself- I know what a family suffers when [a] husband is worse than murdered."
President Garfield died 19 September 1881. Charles J. Guiteau, who assassinated Garfield, was executed 30 June 1882 in Washington, D.C.
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