The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-03-16

GREAT excitement was caused in Washing
ton, on the I'd, by the exposure of corruption
involving Secretary of War Belknap. Itseems
a Mr.. Marsh, of New York, had testified be-
fore the Committee on Expenditures in the
War Department, that he had paid Mrs. Bel
KNAPP $4,000 for post-tradership, and S. ,OOl
YEARLY since. Mrs. Belknap confessed the
truth of the accusation, saying she
alone was to blame, as her husband
knew nothing about it. The Secretary also
admitted the truth of the story, and said he
desired to assume all the responsibility, and
not have it put on his wife. He then ten.
dcrcd his resignation to the President, and ii
was accepted.
SECRETARY robson, of the Navy Depart
ment, was, on the I'd, detailed to take charge
OF the War Department until a successor to
Gen. Belknap should be appointed.
A WASHINGTON dispatch of the I'd states
that Levi P. Luckey had resigned as private
secretary of the President, and had accepted
a responsible position in the Interior Depart
nlcnt.
The formal proceedings in the United
States Senate on the 3d. on the occasion OF
the notification by the House of the impeach-
ment Of ex-Secretary Belknap, were as fol-
lows: Mr.. Clymer, chairman of the notifica-
ton committee, said:
w. President: In obedience to the order of
the House Of Representatives, we appear before
you, and in the name Of the House Of Represent.
ass and of all the people e the United States
States, of high crimes and misdemeanors
while in office; and we further inform
will in due time exhibit articles of impeachment
against him. and make good the same, and in
their name we demand that the Senate take or
der for the appearance Of the said William w.
Bclknap 10 answer.
Mr.. Ferry, President pro tenn. of the Senate,
responded:
.Nr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Commit
tee: The Senate will take order in the premises.
CONCERNING the acceptance by the Presi.
dent Of Secretary Belknap's resignation, it is
said the former has emphatically stated that
he was not aware, at the time, of the enor-
nifty of the charges against the latter. From
the hurried and incoherent manner Of the
Secretarys conversation to him the President
drew the conclusion that Mrs. Belknap, and
not her husband, was the guilty party and
that the General assumed all respon-
sbility and censure in order to shield
his wife. Although he did not in
form the President that he was actual.
ly guilty, he confessed that he was
not free from blame. Had the President
known of the whole truth in the matter, it is
said he would not have accepted the resigna-
ton as he did, but would have suspended the
Secretary until the investigation was over
Al a meeting of the Cabinet on the Sd, the
President cfata n ha had data -
t" shrink from the responsibility that rested
upon him, and he therefore asked the At
tcrncy-General to take immediate steps to
proceed with the criminal charges against
Gen. Belknap and Messrs. Marsh and
TUmlnson, and all others shown BY any evil
dence that should be adduced to have had
part in the fearful transactions that were the
subject of attention. This determination was
approved by the Cabinet, and the entire mat
ter was referred to the Attorney-General.
CHARLES T. GoRHAx, of Michigan, former
y United States Minister to the Hague, has
been appointed Assistant Secretary of the in
terror at Washington.
IT was semi'officially stated in Washington,
on the 4th, that Gen. Babcock's connection
with business at the Executive Mansion had
ceased. Gen. Belknap was put under the
surveillance of city detectives, at his resi-
dence, on the evening of the 5th, to prevent
any possibility of his escape. IT was re-
ported, on the 4th, that Mr.. Blackburn, of
the Committee on Expenditures in the
War Department, had stated that the COM
mittee was in possession of facts showing that
five other post-traderships besides that of
Fort Sill were sold for sums ranging from
$500 to $25 600 year, and that an outrag eous
fraud had been unearthed in the disburse-
ment of the 100000 appropriated by Con-
gress for putting up headstones over the
graves Of Union soldiers.
RICHARD H. DANA, Jr., of Massachusetts,,
was appointed by the President, on the 9th,
to be Minister to England, yice Gen. schenck,
resigned.
THE appointment OF Evans as post-trader
at Fort Sill has been revoked by order of the
President.