The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-04
The washington Scandal.

bcr Two.
The washington Scandal.
A Washington special to yesterdays
Cincinnati Commercial says that "well
informed persons assert positively thntit
will he shown before the close Of the ses'
sion that Bclknap, Babcock, Boss Shep-
herd, Robson, Ingalls, and Horace Por-
Ter have constituted ring, and made a
great deal of money by farming out
offices"
Asis we'll known, Robson is Secretary
oithc Navy, and Ingalls, Qunrtcrmasier
General. II there should be any.
thing in this dispatch about them,
in connection with the announcement
that has occurred in Belknap's case,
and the suspicious that are entertained
in regard TO Delano and Babcock, the
odor Of things in oilicia! life at Washing
ton will smell very rank in the nOstrils OF
the country. As il is, the smell is by no
means pleasant. II is quite sufficient to
make thousands Of people turn up their
noses at the mere mention OF "third
term," who, few days ago, could brook
to listen to, arguments on that subject with
tOlerable complacency.
A dispatch in yesterdays Cincinnati
Ga=eiie says that Blackburn, OF the lnves-
tigating Committee, says they are deter
mined to go through tho whole War
Department, "oficiala high in position,
entitled eagles, shall be eviscerated.' liz
says that .."the next quarter in whicl
there will be toppIing will be in the
Judge Advocate Generals Department
and after that in the Quartcrmaster Gen
erals Department.; and between the pres
ent position OF General Belknap and that
Of General Rufus ingalls,, inside Of thirty
days, there will not be the toss Of cent"
"The President Of the United States is
to be asked to rescind the orders Of Quar-
termaster.G General Meigs, requiring his
absence abroad, so that he shall place his
foot on American soil and be within bail
iwick OF the committee, when he will be
summoned to testify to important meas.
ures involving the Quartermaster-G r-Gener-
ala Department. In word, Gen. lnEalls
and several other officials are now as
completely in the hand OF the committee
"a secretary Belknap. The whole thing,
from beginning to end, to use the words
Of Mr.. blackburn, is rotten to the core.
When Senator Cameron was told OF the
fall of Bclknap he repeated the words,
terrible! tcrriblc!"> And then, accord
ing to the Ga:tlie's special, he went on to
say:
This comes, said he, from Grants
system Of appointments. He had fre-
Guently told him that he ought not to put
obscure men in high positions. lie al
ways had lot Of these unknown charac-
ters around him. The only way for
people to live, said he, is within their
means. Mr.. Buchanan and myself used
to pay from SS TO $40 n week for board
and two rooms, and we lived we'll. The
Scripture is right-"Lead us not into
temptation"
The Washington Star says that the Sec.
retary's tall had its origin in his wiie's
weakness for display. Says that paper
at seems to be understood that the bar.
gaining was originally made with Sec
retary Belknap's late wife, sister OF the
present wife. 1t would appear further
that the wrong doing originated not IL
any greed for money for its own sake, bu
through feminine weakness, desiring L
make a more distinguished figure social!
than the salary OF the husband woult
Justify. 1t is the old, old story repeated
another chapter in the history OF vanity
fair"
In regard to the crime which the fallen
Secretary has committed, it is defined and
provided for as follows in the revised
US. Statutes:
sccuoS I,7si. Every member Of Congress o.
any officer or agent OF the government, who, d.
ecly or Indirectly, takes, receives, or agrees to re-
CrIve any money. property, or other valuable CON
sllerAtICn whatever from any person for procuring
or aiding TO procure, any contract, office, or plaet
from the government, or any department thereof
OF from any officer Of The United States for any per
son whatever, or for giving any such contract
odce or place 10 any person Whomsoeycri aud every
person who directly or Indirectly, onGTs OF agree
10 Riye or gives or bestOws any money, property
or other valuable consideration whatever for pro
curing or aiding topTOcure any such contract, oihc
Of place; and every member Of Congress who, d.
rccIy OF Indirectly takes receives, or agrees TO N
celvc any money, property, or other valuable con
,lcnaIlon whatever, alter his election rs such mem
her, for his attention to service, action vote OF de
cson on any quessOn, matter, cause, or proceeding
which may then be pending, or may, by law OF nn
der the Constitution be brought before him In hi,
Official capacity, OF In his place as such member
Congress, shall be deemed guilty Of mlsIemeanor
and shall be imprisoned not more than two years o.
dncd not more than $1,000, and any such conlrac
or agreement may, at the option Of the President
b. declared absolutely null and void, and any mem
bsr Of Congress or officer convicted Of violation o.
this sCtISn shall moreover be disqualified lron
uHaHI