Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-03-10
President Grants Excuse.

prise, aud has caused II just sense Of indigna-
ton. The Presidents excuses for bis own
conduct, TO say The least, are not only puerile,
but, with the surroundings might lie branded
with a harsher epilhet and termed palpabt
falsehoods. That the President may have all
te benefit of the excuses for his conduct il
this matter we copy from his organ The NJ
fioDai Republican. OF Washington, d. c., Of
Friday, March 4th:
AT an early hour yesterday morning Sec
rotary Belknhp bad AN interview with the
President He was accompanied by Secrela-
res Chandler and Bristow aud Senators Nor
,on and Morrill,, Of Vermont, This interview
was not OF long duration Gen Belkmp
stated TO the President the circumstances
which brought him there, and with lew words
handed the President his written resignation
~ Secretary u War; coupled with the request
thai IL would lie accepted without delay, and
prompt acceptance followed, after which
Gen. BelknAp retired.
''The President was deeply moved yesier-
day aud last night He is slow to express his
past condolences in Gen Belknap, nor The
confidence he would have Tomorrow and will
always have in him But be has had so many
bubbles on fact, aud so many baseess attacks
that he strongly wishes he might have KEPT
out Of the Presidency and without the pale Of
responsibility for the doinas of official subor
climates. He was more affected by this news
than any that has reached him for many
years. The disposition lie has 10 stand by
bis friends WAS even more determined than
ever when he learned the facts. but the indie
pendent press will, of course be chagrined nj
that.
president Grant said last night that he
was not aware of The fact thai Gen. Belknnp's
official conduct was the subject OF investga-
tion by committee Of Congress, and further
more, he WAS not ad yised of the extent Of the
ofenses Of the Secretary of War hen he ac-
copied his letter OF resignation. as the terms
OF his 1.-THE Presdeni's) letter of acceptance
would have been very different from what they
were The manner of the Secretary OF War
when he approached the President yesterday
morning was confused and iDcoherent So
much so thai The President did not exactly
understand his meaning and was inclined 10
the belief that the conduct of the Secretary Of
War was less criminal than the testimony be-
fore the House committee shows him TO be.
When we consider the fact that the Presi-
dent and Belknap have been or most intimate
terms, who can, for one moment place any
confidence in such excuses Let us, tor a
hour in the morning, Cabinet officer, accom-.
panied by two other Cabinet officers and two
distinguished Senators, go TO the Presidential
mansion; if there was nothing else, this q
itself was nm occurrence 10 excite tie surprise
of This would-be innocent and pure minded
President and arouse sufficient iaasires. 10 have
Induced inquiry, al least has BfIklap makes
statement of the eirgu@ssAnres which
brought him there aud wsrh iea WORDS hand
ed in his -esig naiion, whisa w4s Immediately
accepted with much regre.
The President does not SEEN ,o hare msd4
single inquiry Of 8eknsp. or 81 ase diFiin-
guished persons who came ~5gh hinls il Tins
be the truth then the senate 90 sean. either
competent power should tskr 1casos iraIpedi-
aiev 10 appoint some oae 10 look zfses Naason-
al affairs for certainly no msn os ssaad mind
possessed Of the faculties Of rrs.5a, would
have acted thus. Tire manner Of the S-sg-
tary when he approached the President. MAS
confused aud incohereni 10 such an extern
that his meaning could not be understood.
and yel, our staid and sober President docs
not seem TO have been excited or 10 have had
a suspicion aroused, but seemingly as a mat
ter OF course, accepted the resignation with
out comment. What really trauspiFed in lhAi
executive room thas F9orning none but the
high officials present will ever know Who
will ever believe hut thai ihe hole sabjert
was fully discussed and The action Of Grant
IN srE- Il. T.
renee of Chandler Brisiow. Morton and Nor
rll 2 The emergency caused The earls hour,
and the attendance o. these high officials was
necessary TO enable Grant TO act al once I'M
der their advice aud counsel, and as the
whisky ring was worked with an eve nos
alone single to The plumber. bnt also with ref
srcnce 10 the coming elections SO has this
Belknap affair been managed Regardless Of
the honor of our nation, regardless Of Con.
gress, regardless Of the public interest, there
has been an attempt by Grant to shun the e.
feet of the notoriety of an impeachment trial
Of one of his Cabinet before the bar of The
Senate, and in this guilty conduct Brisiow.
Chandler, Morton and Morrill, are conspra-
scutive mansion, who will ever believe tina,
Belknap did not tell Grant thata Congression-
al investigation compelled him TO resign
Who will ever believe that Grant was not
then and there fully informed Of all the facts
His excuse in Itself is moi only lame, but bears
upon its face the impress of falsehood, and
worse still, such men as Bristow, Chandler,
Morton aud Morrill, BY their silence become
sndorsers 10 the fasehood and are equally
criminal
The excuse of Grant and the surroundings
are in themselves sufficient TO satisfy any RAJ
iona mind of this hni if there is room Tor
doubt, look at his past conduct As early as
1868 and down 10 he present time, Capt
Robinson states, these matters relative to Bel
knap's conduct were brought 10 The notice OF
Grant, and what did be do 10 correct ,hem I
Again, after the long investigation of tn
Board OF Public Works OF Washington, D
O., and when the conduct of its managers wa:
fully condemned by Republican Congress,
for mismanagement. fraud, corruption, rea
estate pools, sc. no sooner does Congress
abolish the Board of Public Works. aud pas
law authorizing the appointment of Com
missieners for the District, than Grant. will
his usual tenacity for his friends, names Bos
Shepherd. one of the Board of Public Work
just abolished, for the first position as one O
the Commissioners SO Objectionable wa
the appointment, that Radical Senate re
fused 10 confirm il