Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1876-03-09
BELKNAP.
DOWNFALL OF THE SEC.
RETARY OF WAR.
Preliminary Steps Taken fr Mis-
Punishment.
President Grant Overwhelmed
With Surprise.
Startling Sensation at the Ma
tional Capitol,
Reckless Encouragement the
Cause Of it All.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatches.

l"hSSoSlllcu TcSS DlSpaJClleS.
WASHINGTON. March 4.-The Attor
ney General has been in consultation witt
District Attorney Wells, relative to Belk,
nap and the preliminary papers, with
view to his punishment have been pre-.
pared. They will be sent to the Grand
Jury next week, when it is expected au
indictment will promptly follow. Simi.
lar proceedings will be instituted against
Marsh. The Attorney General had a
consultation with the President to day on
this subject.
LONDON, March 4.-The Times of this
morning says, editorially, of the Belknap
scandal: "This event is more grave be-
cause of its confrmstcry of suspicion
which has long prevailed among Ameri,
can people. Even we Europeans cannot
but be struck with the altered tones in
which the Americans speak. if not of
their iDsnuation, at least of men who
have present direction of them"
The News, alluding to tue same subject
says: American political life seems to
be in anything buta healthy condition.
1t refers to the whisky fraud trials, Emma
Mine scandal, and the downfall of Belk-
nap, and says that these scandals lift the
veil from the class of society which it
was hitherto pretty generally supposed
had. as yet, escaped the impurities of
social strata below, and they lead one to
fear that some of the worst vices Of mu-
ulclpal government may be percolating
into ft tderal administration.
The Telegraph says: "Thcse disclo-
sures, and charges after charges, varying
in degrees of truth but with an ugly and
untoward character, have lately darkened
the commercial, religious, judicial and
administrative institutions of the United
States. Some have proved false, others
true, and more await evidence; but the
general effect, beyond denial, has been to
bring the blush of shame and anxiety
into the face of all honest Americans and
to make countless friends of the Republic
in this country silent and sorrowful when
its enemies rejoice over these recurring
revelations"
ARTICLE OF 1MPBACnMENT COMPILE.
TED.
WASHINGTON, March 4.-The Sub
Committee have completed the articles of
impeachment. The Committee on Ex.
penditures of the War Department are
said to be satisfied that Belknap's pos
sessions are worth $25O,00O.
Gen. Caster telegraphed to Hester
Clymer, it was his opinion that there was
no trading post west of the Missouri river,
which had not been bought by the parties
holding it.
Special dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.
THE GREAT SENSATION.
WASHINGTON, March 2.-The most
startling sensation which has come over
the capital city for many day was the
disclosure this morning of che deplorabla
conduct Of the Secretary of War. When
the news was first bruitcd about it found
few believers, and it was not until the
fact became known definitely that Gen.
Belknap had resigned that it was relied
upon. For several years past rumors
have been floating around the atmosphere
of Washington to the effect that the Sec>
retary Of War had sold for money con.
sideration sutlerships and and post trader
ships. Publications on the same subject
have from time to time been made in the
partisan press. AS far back as two years
ago New York sensational journal prin-
ted detailed statement Of military posts
at which it was alleged that Secretary
Be,knap had sold the right to trade.
TIE Secretary and his friends spoke con.
temptuously of these charges, and char
acterized them as false and calumnious,
aud made for political objects. Such
was in reality the public impression, for
even in these degenerate days it was
thought scarcely within the range of pos
sibility that a Cabinet officer would en-
gage in such transactions.
About the beginning of this year the
Committee on the Expenditures Of the
War Department had its attention di,
rected anew to these stories, and it was
resolved to investigate the truth or falsity
of the same. When the committee un.
dlrtook this work they we're not at all