The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-03-09
GRANT AND BELkNAP.
Il Am Not Fit TO be Your Sec
retary.'
The Facts Known to the President Three
Years Ago.

| Washington Cor. Of Cincinnati Commercial
In view OF all the facts OF the relation of
| General Bclknap to the sale OF sutlcr.hips
at army posts, it is surprising that he ha,
not been convicted long while ago. The
first notice Of these transactions came be-
fore the public in the following manner :
In the year 1872, General VIM. b. liazcn
was on Inspecting duty at Fort sill. in
the Indian Territory. La the course of
hi, labors &ecamG to know that the suit
Ter of the post had been suddenly notified
by n stranger living in the Eastern
states that lie had obtained from the war
department the sole right To trade at
Fort sill, but that he did not wish to
come there and do the business in person.
lie would, however. permit the occupant
to remain, ii lac would pay an annual
| rent Of 50 many thousand dollars. The
! pO-t-tradcr was in Il position which
forced him to acccdc to the demand
Large amounts were due him by those
with whom he traded. TO be turned out
of the position was ruin. SO he paid and
stad. and in order to max" good the sum
of which lac was blackmallcd, hc put up
the price OF the good, which he sold
Thus the soldiers were made to pay the
money which finally went into the pOck-
cts of the secretary VI war.
Gen. lIazcn. and he was soon informed
that other military posts were suffering
the same kind OF robbery. Most officers
OF the army. under such circumstances.
Would have shrunk from maKiug any
charges about this business. Indeed.
although 1t must have been within the
knowledge OF many Of these gentlemen.
yet they did not dare to bring it home
to the secretary OF war. llaZen, however
a. soon rs he thought he was certain OF
the facts, wrote letter to General Gar
field, then chairman OF the Committee ON
Military Affairs. and told something of
the story. hi. was in the spring of
lS,2. The secretary of that com.
mittcc was also correspondent of the
New York Tribune. and. faithful to his
trust-his ncwspapcr-hc tcicgraphcd
the gist OF it, and it was daily published.
For the moment not much attention was
paid 10 the story, but in due time Gen
| cral lIaZcn was summoned before the
committee. He was sharply questioned.
lie answered their questions clearly and
circulHstantially. He gave names, dates
and amounts, and 1t was probablr quite
as much within the power of that com.
mittcc. at that time, to have brought
Bclknap To book as il has been of
| thi, other committee within the last few
days.
The morning after the testimony of
| lIaZcn was published. secretary of War
Belknap entered the presence OF the pres.
| ident.
MIR. President" lac asked. edo Won
believe the story of General llazcn;"
mo, ] do not, answered the sensitive
souled president.
because ii you do continued Bel.
KNAPP, II am not tit to be your secretary. =
For a few days there was some talk in
the newspapers about ilazrn's evidence,
his honesty and temerity, aud to satisfy
public opinion, an order was issued tx
the secretary OF war. 10 the effect thnl
sutler,hips should be held only by those
actually at the posts.
At-the time this order was made. an,
ever since, the actual suffer at Fort Sui
and other posts. continued to pay iribut,
10 the central authority at WASHINGTON
After that order the whole affair Was for
gotten, or passed over by the public. ant
action halted, so far a. the gentlemen il
Washington were concerned.
But IT became q sorry lest 10 Uazen
| who soon found lac was unpopular M I'm
war Office. with senators and Representa-
tive, and those about the presidential
mansion. He was at once relieved from
> duty at Fort Hayes. and bani.hed to For
BulOrd, in DakOto Territory.
In the light of the shocking demon,
p. mcnt Of the last foriy-cight hours |, il No
P. strange that Mr. Bclknap should hay
IA gone % long unconyiCtcd: