The New York herald., 1876-03-17
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We trust our friends in Washington will
not overlook the important despatch which
was published in the HERALD yesterday from
Bismarck, d. L. The terms of this despatch
are clear and undeniable 1t shows that at
Fort Lincoln single post paid Belknsp
twelve thousand dollars ayear that among
those who shared in the proceeds are Sen
ator an ex-senator, an Ex-Governor OF Ter
ritory and an ex-Territorial marshal. The
despatch further AYERS that among those who
controlled the sale of these appointments
was Governor Campbell, of Wyoming Ter
ritory An office-holder in Iowa is named
as the recipient of hundreds of thousands OF
dollars gained in an illegal manner
General Rice, of Washington, Belknap's
friend, comes to the front MS sharer in this
blackmail-''a bachelor of expensive hab-
its" who had to live on the robbery of the
poor soldiers.
These are grave charges. Their value may
be appreciated when we call tho attention of
the House to the fact that days before Bel
KNAPP confessed the HERALD printed tho sub
stance of his confession. If the President
and Mr.. Clyners committee had examined
into these charges when they first appeared
there would have been an earlier suppress
sion of the crime. Now here are charges
much more grave than those printed against
Belknap. They involve the honor of half
dozen public men-Senators, ex-Senators
and officers of the government The House
cannot afford to ignore them.
The country begins to fear that there is no
heartiness in the House Investigations. The
fact that two men as intimate with Belknap
and his family as Blackburn and Clymer
should have been put on the war committee
is coincidence too suggestive to be pleas
ant. The fact that by the direct agency of
Clymer the witness necessary to the impeach-
ment and conviction of Belknap is out of the
country excites apprehension. People ask,
and not without reason, do the members of
this committee really mean to press these
investigations, or is it, after all, political
manpuvre?
1t may be said that this committee
Clymer, Blackburn and the rest-are
honorable men, oil honorable men, and
to be trusted" This will never do.
We must trust nobody-take no ones
character for granted. This is a revolu-
tionary time, when every patriot is bound
to suspect Who was as honorable" six
months ago as General Belknap, Secretary
of War, or more entitled to the esteem of all
who respect position and character? Yet
even then this honorable" Secretary was
robbing the poor soldiers on the Plains in
order that his wife should wear diamonds
and lace. Who was more honorable" yes
terday than George II. Pendleton-''g gentle
man George" Pendleton, the darling of the
Ohio democracy, candidate for the Presi-
dency and leader of his party? No man in
the country had better character. Yet he
is seen to be a Schuyler Colfax after all
even worse than Colfax. The time has come
when no one can be trusted" when no
character" can be taken for granted.
The watchwords now are, suspect" Gin
vestigate,'' ''arraign," ''impeach," ''root
out" destroy" These watchwords must
animate the House committees. There is no
excuse for ignoring the revelations of the
HERALD weeks ago. Let US see if these still
further and graver revelations from Bismarck
will be acted upon by Mr.. Clymer's commit
tee, or ignored like the former.