The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-07
THE FORT SMELLING swiNDLE.


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THE FORT SMELLING swiNDLE.
Fort Smelling has been sold TO one Steele,
and he has made good thing out OF H.
The sale was consummated by order OF the |
secretary of war, and in accordance with
a resolution of Congress, as II is claimed.
This in and of itself might be all right ana
proper If General Belknap discharged
his duty honestly, conscicntiously ana pa
,riotically. his countrymen will justify him
and he needs no defense. we must confess,
however. that the transaction has suspi-
cious look not only from the haste which is
made TO defend him, but from the very ma
,ure of the defense itself. Let us in the
first place inquire what Fort Smelling is.
The Fort Smelling reservation, as 1t is
called, takes its name from Fort Smelling
located thereon, is situated on the Missis-
sppi river in proximity to ST. Paul, Min
neapolis and the Falls of Minnchaha, and
comprises some over seven thousand acres
Of land The original design of the fort
was to furnish headquarters for the troops
operating in that portion of the northwest,
afford protection TO the settlers against In
dian inloads,. and was set apart for these
purposes in 1926 During the admnistra-
ton of james Buchanan, an act was passed.
by Congress, authorizing the sale of super
tluous military stations, under which John
u. Floyd of rendolent memory, then sccrc-
tary of war, entered into n contract with
one Franklin Steele. the proprietor and
operator of ferry, by which he agreed
TO sell the entire reservation. with slight
exception for the sum of ninety thousand
dollars. Under this contract, Steele paid
thirty thousand dollars and was to pay the
balance in two equal annual installmcnts.
So far 80 good for Steele, hut bad for the
United States, and the sequel shows that
ii remained bad. The sale was private,
hut was afterwards, reported to Congress,
and they Immediately appointed a commit
tee to investigate the affair, who subse-
quently reported, and their report was en-
dorstd by Congress, that the whole pro-
ceeding was injudicious and improper, and
to prevent competition and to prevent the
sale thereof at fair price. The matter
was further referred to the Attorney Gen
eral then jeremiah s. Blacksmith in
structions to take such measures rs were
necessary to protect the public interests
These resolutions were not, of course
adopted only after Il long and exhaustive
debate, and in favor thereof we find record
Cd the names of the entire Vermont dele
CATION in the House of Representatives,
Justin 8. Morrill,, f. p. Walton and Homer
E. Royce. While Congress found, sixty,
however. voting against itthat there was
nothing in the negotiation and sale to i'm
peach the personal or official integrity of
Floyd, yet they declared that it was
grave official fault" managed by inexpe-
rienced and incompetent agents. and that
the sale was void. Justin S. Morrill, was
not an idle or uninterested spectator of the
debate, but took an active part therein, de-
livering some telling blows against the mi
quitous scheme. In one of his speeches.
near the close of the debate, he grouped
his arguments under seven heads, proving
each one to demonstration. He showed
that concealment was practiced through
out the negotiation and sale; that the gov
eminent negotiators were incompetent !;
that there was an ''artful combination" by
which ''the government was defrauded +"
that the price was inadequate and the guam
tity of land underestimate that there
was a corrupt combination for the ''divi-
sion of the spoils," and that the military
authorities were opposed to the sale The
Attorney General, it is needless to say.
took no steps to protect the interests of the
nation. and the matter rested for some
time. All this, be il understood, happened
within the past fifteen years, and we feel
justified in saying that person unfamiliar
herewith has no business to he member
III Congress or of the Cabinet.
The situation of the reservation so far
AZ tho completion OF resembling of the con-
tract OF sale was concerned remained UNI
changed NJ the outbreak of the rebellion,
and Fort Smelling was designated as a re-
crn!tng rendezvous for Minnesota, and
WAS occupied as such during the war.
The whole matter of the sale etc. remain
81 in aheyanc- until during the second ses-
son oi the forty-firsl Congress, when, in
May 1870, a resolution on the subject was
i'hssr'!. Wequolr this resolution in full
'r"a'''" the secretary of war bases his de-
..I
t"n Ia its language. which is ms follows I:
krrose,, etc, That the secretary of war
M,and hereby is, authorized and empow
rtci 10 select and set apart for a perma-
- neni military post 80 much of the mill
tary reservation of Fort Smelling, not less
g. lhan one thousand acres, AS the public
ihlcr"nts may require for that purpose.
g and to quiet the title in said reservation,
e ami Ia settle all claims thereto and for
3" The use and occupation thereof upon
" principles OF equity" Here is the whole
authority and the only authority he has in
the premises what does he do under il
He on his agents call on Steele, or Steele
calls on them, and pleasant little business
Transaction ensues. Steele has a little bill
against the United States and the United
States have "A smaller bill to be credited on
account. Steele, with all the cheek in the
worldif not actually with the readiness
10 do that which his name indicates pre-
scented trifiing, insignificant bil-some-
thing like this 1.-THE United States to
Franklin Steele, DR.: To eighty-one months
rent OF Fort Smelling reservation, at two
thousand dollars per month, $16s, 900.
Credit by balance due on purchase money,
100000 Balance due from the United
States, one hundred and two thousand dol
lars" If there was no such bill actually