The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-03-10
Has Grants Confidence Been
Abused?

Every man with any experience Of life
must understand how grossly public
man may have his confidence abused by
the deceit and treachery of those about
him. In q position like that Of the Pres
jdent there must need be persons to as.
Sist him in the multitarious details OF
the business appertaining to his office.
TO those persons there must necessarily
be confided an entire trust in matters
sometimes involving public interests Of
great moment. Itis impossible that it can
be otherwise. And il those persons are
dishonorab;e enough to abuse that trust,
to use secrets thus obtained, to suppress
information intended to be comma nj.
Gated to the President, the President
himself, however innocent, may become
subjected to accusations of having con-
niyed at the gravest improprieties in
tho public service. That General Grant
may have become victim to this abuse
Of his personal confidence is now strong
ly suspected. And the circumstances
now recently developed seem to warrant
this view of the matter in Be .knap's
case.
1t will be remembered that all the ad-
vices from Washington, by telegraph or
otherwise, concurred in stating that
the President was in ignorance OF the
Beiknap infamy down to the time that
Belknap himself rendered his resigna-
tien, with a confession of guilt: that he
did not know of the evidence taken by
the Committee Of Investigation, nor Of
its nature till it was communicated to
Congress, although he had sent for in
formation a few hours previous, and the
information was withheld under the
Committees special oath of secrecy.
1t will be remembered also how
shocked he was when all the facts were
communicated to him; and that to re-
gain his equanimity he rode out OF the
city, away from all men, into the quie-
tude OF the country. All these things
were indicative of his utter ignorance Of
these infamous transactions up to the
very hour OF their startling revelation.
And yet the country has been
told that information or these mat
ters had been communicated to
him some time previous to these pub
lie revelations, and that he failed to
take any notice OF or make any reply to
the communications sent to him on the
subject. This brought suspicion upon
the President himself, as it most natu-
rally would. And yet 1t is quite possi-
ble that he was in utter ignorance Of
any complaint on the subject; indeed
many circumstances point clearly to
that conclusion.
1t will be remembered that the dis.
patches from Washington bearing upon
this matter, stated that two persons,
formerly connected with the army as OF.
ficers, had testified that the post trader
at Fort Sill, j. s. Evans, who was con-
nected in business with Marsh, had
made written statement to the effect
that the prices Of their goods at Fort
eill could not be made lower, for the
reason that SIS, 900 yearly had to be paid
TO Belknap, Secretary Of War, for the
privilege OF the post; and that Evans
had mailed this to the President; ant
that the President took no notice oil til,
matter, although the letter contained |
distinct charge Of bribery and corrup
ai9n.
When these statements were mad,
public, with the other revelations con
,eerning the infamy, the President in
SANITY declared that no paper or com
nunIcation on that subject had eve
Con 10 Ills hands; and that. II such let
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