The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-16
Or 9S5lailg Atens.
Thursday. March Is. 1876
A GREATER THAN BELKNAP.
Now for the President of the United
States.
From the ". Y. Sun.

A most extraordinary piece OF evidence
has fallen into our possession. 1t goes to
show that a costly present-worth four
thousand eight hundred dollars-was
privately given to Mrs. Grant, wife of the
president of the United States, and that
the giver was subsequently made acting
quartermaster- general of the United States
by the president.
Tht present consisted of a unique gold
watch, originally intended for Queen Vic
toria. 1t was purchased of the maker
m Paris, and brought to this city, where
very expensive chain was added to it by
Messrs Tiffany Il Co., the we'll known
fashionable jewellers. aud then the whole
thing was given to Mrs. Grant by Gen.
Rufus ingalls,, who was at the time an
assistant quartermaster- general, stationed
in this city, and was afterward appointed
acting quartermaster- general of the United
States at Washington
At the time the present was made. Gen.
Meigs was quartermaster-g general. After
good deal of delay and difficulty in get
ting Gen. Meigs out of the way, that faith
full and incorruptible public officer was
finally ordered abroad, on tour of inspec-
ton in Europe, and Gen. Ingalls, was
transferred from this city to Washington,
a larger field of operations, with great
power over contractors, and larger oppor-
tunities than he enjoyed here.
The value of the present was altogether
too large for it to have been made by
man OF Gen. Ingalls's then limited means,
from any such motive as pure and disin
teresUed friendship. An English Judge,
Sir William Thorpe, chief justice of the
King bench, in the time of Edward Ill,
was impeached, convicted, and hanged for
receiving five brides, amounting altogeth-
er, in the aggregate, to only one hundred
pounds, or FIVE hundred dollars. This
present to Mrs. Grant was estimated to
be worth more than nine times as much
four thousand eight hundred dollars.
Gen. Grant must have known Of this
present The watch strikes the hours and
quarters, and he must have heard it strike
many times.
This present to Mrs. Grant, though not
technically present to Gen. Grant, was,
in substance, the same thing; and while
the acceptance of it by her might not sub
ject him to an indictment for bribery, vet
his connivance at it would constitute sufi
cient ground for impeachment.
1t is true that Gen. Ingalls, did not get
his reward until several years after he
d
does not decide case until four years after
he receives a bribe in 1t; does that dimin-
ish his crime? Gen. ingalls, was appoint
ed to this position out of order, and at the
time of his transfer to Washington there
were two assistant quartermaster generals
above him on the army register.
The evidence in our possession consists
Of piece of beautiful white satin, the size
Of a half sheet of large letter paper, on
which the following words, describing the
watch and indicating the giver are printed:
MEMORANDUM.
his watch was manufactured for presentation to
Her Majesty Queen Victoria, of England, by Charles
oudin, Paris, France. 1t represents the coat OF
crown of England. Instead OF figures on the dial,
twelve letters, Dieu ct mon Droit' are substitu-
ted. The letter ID, next the stem. represents -.
each letter Is made OF onyx and diamonds, set in
crystal.
on the reverse is shown the Order of the Garter
with the rose, thistle and shamrock in diamonds.
The watch is a stem winder, chronometer and
repeater. striking the hours aud quarters In order
hear II strike. push with the thumb nail small
catch the side Of the watch toward the stem.
The setting Of the hands is done by pressing the
opposite side OF Il small projecting pin, and while
the pin is depressed regulate by moving stem. The
crystal on each side is cut out of solid Brazilian
stone.
The chain was prepared by Tiffany & Co., New
York city, in leontine style, and consists Of BLACK
enameled armor plates linked together with rubie.
and diamonds. The pendant Is u locket in form Of
shield, with lone star of pearl black
enamelled field. On the reverse side is the letter
in diamonds.
Before an opportunity offered to present the watch
TO the queen, II was purchased by friend OF Gen
ingalls, and shortly afterwerd fell into the latter
possession.
1t has never been worn, and has no duplicate il
the world.
1t now presented to the first lady of the United
States Of America, Mrs President Grant.
Compliments of Gen. Rufus Ingalls,
III West Thirteenth street. New York city, April Is
1871
Gen. Rufus Ingalls, in person took the
manuscript Of the above to printer il
this city, and ordered it printed on satin o
three colCrs-pink, green, and blues,
that he might select the color which b,
liked best to send to Mrs. Grant 1t wa
Gen. ingalls, himself who stated to our in
formant the value of the present. Tn
printer executed the order and delivered
the three copies to Gen. Ingalls,. He alst
printed fourth copy on white satin
This copy is now in our possession. and il
at the service of the house of representa-
tives of the United States, if that bod!
thinks fit to appoint committee of in
vestigation or impeachment A fac-sih.i
of the document IS printed on our frs
page.
We assume that Mrs. Grant received
the present from the circumstances alread,
stated and because we never heard of
Grant refusing anything
That the motive of the present was cor
rupt-that it was corruptly made and cor
ruptly received-hardly requires to b.
argued to practical persons of common
sense.
While james Buchanan was presideu
he was so particular not to receive pres
ents, that when lady sent him PAIR O
slippers he not only returned them, blu
directed the messenger to wait and get
receipt from the giver, so that he NIGH
have in his possession proof that they wer
sent back.
1t will not do TO pursue Gen. Belknap
and in the face of evidence such as W
here present, to let Gen. Grant escape.