Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-03
The Disgraceful Administration.

The following Is the report OF the Cou uiI
tee on Expenditures 10 the War Department
presented 10 ,he u. s House of Representa-
tives yes erday, as stated in h. Gazette OF
that date 1t was read by Nh. Clymer, the
Chairman, iu the midst OF great excitement
and with an unusual stiIloess 10 the House:
The committee found at the very threshold
of its investigation such unquestoned evidence
Of the 10 a feasance of Geu. William W. beik-
nap, then Secretary Of War, that they iound
It their duty to lay the SANE before the House.
They further reported that tbs day at eleven
o'clock, a letter OF thu President OF The Ualed
States was presented 10 the committee, accept
log the resignation of the Secretary of War,
together with "a copy of his letter # resgna
tiop, which (the President inform the com-
mittee) was accepted aoou; 1929 hi, morulog.
They ther. re unanimously report ANU de-
maud, that William w. Beknap late Secre-
tary of War, be dealt with acc'Iyl ( 10 the
law o! the land. and TO that end, submit here
with the testimony 10 the case taken. together
with the several statements ADD exhibits here
to attached and also r3scrlpt OF the proceed
inrs OF this coma ittee had during h luvesti.
CATION of this subject, and submit the following
resolutions Of impeachment:
Rcsolved That VIM. w Belknap, late Sec
rotary vi War, be i.urrached OF high crimes
and nisaemeanorS 10 Uhlce.
Resozred That the s:imony in the case OF
WIN. ". Bekn D, late Secretary OF War, be
| referred to the judiciary Com ulttce. I'll Ia
structions to prepare and report, without III
necessary delay, Su Itle articles OF lnpeach
| men of said WIN. w. B~kuap, late Secretary
| OF War.
Resolved That eammi5tec OF five metn bers
| oil tue House be appointed aud Instructed IL
proceed ium, diateiy IL the bar OF the Senate
aud there lmpeach Wm. w. BclkOap, lat
| Secretary of War, 10 the nane OF TIE people
OF the United States, Of hivh crimes AID mis-
demeanors WI. u In Office, AMI to Intern that
BODY hat formal articles OF impeachment VII,
| in due time, be presented, and to rrGue-t he
| Senate to take su, b order u the premises a.
they my deeUI approarate.
| Mr.. Clyner. al er submitting the lnlMoni
| r'port OF the :ou! Dit"e, rrau III fItio"!ng
ties inouy and :, CO opanil, lIts:
Tuesday Fec. 20, lo76.-lhc committee
mt at 1880 q. H., present NJ .>srs Clym'r
! Blackburn acd r bbius. Mr. lalcb Marsh,
one Of the witnesses ordered TO be subj u ed
| by the COMMITTEE, being pres sent, Was uu!y
SWORD according 10 law.
Question by the Cbairman.-Wdered do you
reside?
An-wer.-I reside at No. 80 West Fifty sew,
enth sire, t, n York. Have resided 10 NV
| York abyut eight years.
| Question by the Chairman w ere you Oh
not appointed or rendered 20 appointment as d
post trader at Fort Sill, Indian Territory, 10
the fall OF 1870 oy the .crerary OF War; II so.
under what circumstances was SAID appoint
meot secured to yau; state also II you were
commissioned by tn secretary as such got
! trader, or if not, who was so commissioned
and if any other person than yourself was Sc
commissioned give his namc, the reason why
| he was 20 commiss' onej II any aEre 'tnent WI:
made between you aud the arpolnn state IT,
or produce it II III writing, and was sucn agree
menl made with be knowledge OF the Sccc
tary Of War aud state The ci cumstauces con
neccd with he m@kiug OF that agreement, anC
all the transactions in detail hereunder fully
and particularly as ii you were specially inter
rotated in regard to the several transaclouS
aud so fully as to save the nee s>lty oil repeat
| ed lnterrogatorles
To reply 10 your question [ would state that
10 the summer of 1870 myself and wife spcu
some weeks al Lug Branch. aud % our re-
turn to New York Mrs. Bclknap AMI Mrs
Bower. by our invitation, came Tor vlsl' &c
orr house. Mrs Bclknap was i'll during TIL:
visit some three or fur weeks, and | supposed
! in consequence OF our kiGdness to her, she f2lt
| under some oblIeatlon, for she asked me, H.
course of conversation, why did not apply
| for a post leadership on the frontier. | asked
| what they were, and was toid that they were
mauy of them very lucrative Offices or posts il
the gitt of the Secretary Of War, and that if ]
| wanted one she would ask tie Secretary for
one for me- Upon my replying that thought
such Offices belonged to disabled soldiers, and
besides that was without political Influence,
she answered that politicians got such places
&C., &c. do not remember saying that II
had valuable post OF that kind hat would
remember her, but do remember her saynp
something like this: If | can prevail upor
he Secretary of War to award you post you
must be careful to say nothing to blm about
presents, for man once offered him $40 DOC
for a leadership of this kind and he told blu
that if ne did not leave the office he would
kick him down stairs. Remeu boring as dc
this story, | presume he antecedent S atemcnI
10 re correct Mrs. Beiknap aod Mrs. Bower
/ returned G0 w aSNlUslOI, duu l"W W'chs
thereafter Mrs. Bclknap sent me wcrd 70 coue
over. did So She then told NE the post
leadership at Fort Sill was vacant ; that il was
a valuable pest she understood and that she
| had either asked for it for me or had prevail.
ed upon the Secretary Of War 10 give it to me;
at all events | called upon the Secretary Of
War, aud as near as l can remember, made ap
pIication for this post in a regular printed torm.
The Secretary said he would appoint me II
could bring proper rccommeudatory letters,
and this said could do. Either Mrs. Bclk.
nap or the Secretary told me that the present
trader at the pest, Johu s. Evcns, was 40 APP
pIicant for reappon ment, aud that had bet.
ter see him, he being iu the city, as it would
not be fair to turn him out Of office without
some notice, as he would lose largely on his
buildings, merchandise. &C., if the office was
taken tlom him, and that IL would be proper
and Just for me to make some arrangements
with him for the purchase, if | wished to run
the post myself.
| saw Evans, and found him alarmed at the
prospect of losing be place. | remember that
! he said thar firm of w est IN post traders whc