The New York herald., 1876-03-07
ton Is SO unequvocaly and prominently before the
people as a candidate for President"
GENERAL McooK ON BELKNAP.


II must come sooner or later"
"Do you mean say that the frauds alleged were
known to youYn
YES, to me and TO every of1cer who has had gar
rson duty 10 perform in tho West for several years
past II is not matter of wonderment to me- nor do
Think will be TO them that this widespread corrup
uon should have been exposed"
But IN your opinion, does the corruption extend
beyond the post leadership Fort SILL winch is alleged
TO have been marketed awayS"
''Ihero are
ONE HUNDRED AND xISETY-PyE Posrs HEAR
and rest assured the returns have begun to in
YET Dropping the question of fact why should Fort
SUI be an exception In this game Of barter and trade
that has been gong onf Does any ono presume that
this fort affords the only corrupt exception and that
arule OF honest management as 10 traderships pre-
vailed elsewhereS Why should Fort sill have been
alone chosen for transaction of the character alleged
when other posts may be readily manipulated by
those at the head of the War Department ~
''Ihese are all grave questions, doubt; but Cen
cral, let me understandable you believe that the
doubtful transactions shown to havo been engaged in
by the Secretary OF War extend posts other than
Fort Sily"
'Do believe so! Yes. do Nay, think might
with propriety say that know Now that this ins
vcstgation has been commenced by Congress- II there
Is really deIirc to siit the very bottom let
thcm send for the post traders in all quarters and there
will be such revelations OF corrupAon will dwarf the
case already revealed into no,hngness This is but the
entering wedge which, IL given the force necessary
will rcnd The entire system Of post trading
Quoted -
'The matter Of appointing post traders then, lies
with the Secretary OF War;"
t;or
at post-ths Council made up OF the three officers
next in rank below the commanding oilicer--chosc
FOR TuR POSITION OF pcsr surLKR
Their selection was man OF character one who had
reputation honesty that he valued. one who was
their equal and with whom they could associate on
terms q intimacy This selection approved by
the commanding officer and the matter being properly
referred to the War Department, the appointment was
madc.n
''What is the process 2"
"In the year 1863, Mr.. Hugh Campbell of ST. Louis
q most reputable gentleman recommended a certain
party Tor the sutershp Fort Laramie. The candi-
date had abundance Of good words spoken for him
his considered by the Council of Administra-
tion, approved by the commanding officer and
eventually he was appointed. He came TO ST. Louis
and procuring stock of goods had it forwarded to
The fort but before he could settled In his new
commission OF post sutler IN his pocket, upon which
the ink was scarcely dry"
'was this a representative from the War Depart
mentYn
Precisely. But the officers, with one accord, main
taiDed that they rights in the premises that
should be respected and took steps uphold the
whom they had recommended. The laid be-
fore General Shermal, who with customary prompt
ness, issued order upholdng first apponiee and
leaving his would be through
the War Department"
"And did that terminate the matterY"
by no means. This may be properly said to have
been the commencement OF the
TROUBLE BETWEEN SHERMAN AID BELKSAP,
TO which is due, much nything the present
location of military headquarters at St. Louis. The
issue OF that slight contest for the post leadership
Fort Laramie showed TO Secretary Belknap the fact
that he was without restriction and that us mat
tiers then stood, the marketing OF post positions was
not free from the danger OF exposure Therefore,
something must be done Accordingly, in 1870, no
secured the passage by Congress transferring
from hands altogether the power choose recon-
mend appoint post traders and giving it into the
hands OF the Secretary of War, without any check
balance wheel TO prevent that concerning which the
law is SO explicit in its mandates"
"You mean, l presume concerning the sale OF ap-
poirtivc positionsY
Precisely. That divine command Thou shalt not
steal, is no more plain, explicit than is the
law pertaining to and governing the filling Of these
post POSITIONS; yet Its inracton the rule and its
observance the exception. The law speaks in unmis-
taxable terms against the farming of these post po
sitions, and yet may say, that in the majority OF
the person appointed seldom, If ever the
post What is the RESULT The actual traders and sut
larc ,hn fho
opportunity speculate oil the necessities of the
soldier, and class, they a OF thieves, and
instead Of blessing, a bane to the service" -
''Do you know OF any individual cases OF farming
out that you can mentionthat is in addition to til o
of Marsh, which has been made prominent s'
IL should not have to go great waynot outside of
the city OF 81. Louis. There is man resident here
who lives upon the proceeds OF sutlcrship which he
is presumed to hold at Fort Union. He had friends
powerful enough reach the Secretary of War and he
appointed But he prefers the comforts cvili-
zation to rude lie in camp; therefore, he farms out
his position and receives goody share OF the spois
''You have considerable service in Texas Cen
era; what your experience down there as bearing
upon this question:"
''Let me give a single instance, and think It will
suffice since appears TO be tho rule OF procedure in
most cases. No, great while since there was nut er
orally esteemed, named Conrad, made application for
tho place. and us officers all knew HIM TO be gen
tlcman and above tho practices OF the ordinary camp
trader we locked horns to get him appointed He had
a surerabundance OF recommendations, and all who
know him seemed to have had desire to put them
selves record in his iavor He went to Washington
TO lend force to his application. "About the same
there started for the OF the national govern
mcnt a miserable. loathsome specimen OF the Hebrew
race who had in certain transactions given good cause
for unpleasant suspicious. He, too, applicant
for
THE sUrLERsuIP AT FORT coNcHo.
Well, Conrad had money buy himself position If
he would have done So but the hebraic applicant after
getting to Washington and going the ground, sent
home for 81, 600. which forwarded to him. and
when he returned 10 Concho he bore a post traders
commission in his pocket"
But had he succeeded in spending his money at the