The Portland daily press., 1876-03-31
BELKNAP.
Articles of Impeachment Presented ia the
House.

Articles of Impeachment presented ln the
House.
WASHINGTON, March 30.-The impeachment
articles against Belknsp reported TO the
House today by the Judiciary Commit
tee are five in number and worded 10 the usual
legal pbraseolegy, one being largely repeu-
ton of the other The first article Is as fol-
lows:
That VIM. W. Belknap, while he was in Of
fee as Secretary of War, to wit, Oh the 9th Cay
OF October, 1870, had the power and authority
under the laws of the United States, as Secre-
tary of War, to appoint person 70 malutain
trading establishment at Fort Sill, military
post of the United States, that said Belknap
promised to appoint one Caleb 2. Marsh to
maintain said trading establishment at said
military post, and thereafter sad Caleb p.
Marsh and one James S. Evans did enter into
an agreement in writing substantially as tel-
lows: There the articles of agreement are set
ont in extenso.l That thereafter, on the 10Th
of October, 1870, said Belknap as Secretary of
War, did al the instance and request of said
Marsh appoint said James S. Evans to main.
tain said trading establishment at Fort Sill, land
10 consideration of such appointment that said
Beiknap did, on or about the I'd of November,
1860, unlawfully and corruptly receive from
said Marsh the sum of $1,000, and did at divers
times thereafter, that is on or about the 18th of
January, 1871, and about the end of each three
months during the term of one whole year,
While he was still in office as Secretary of War,
unlawfully receive from said Marsh like sums
of $500 in consideration of the appointment of
SAID Evans and in consideration OF his (Bel-
knaps) permitting said Evans to continue to
maintain said trading establishment at the fort
aforesaid, whereby VIM. W. Belknap, who vas
then Secretary of War as Aforesaid, was guilty
of high crimes and misdemeanors 10 ONCE
The second article recies that said VIM. w.
Belknap, while Secretary of War as aforesaid,
did on the 4th of November, 1873, wilfully com.
pel and unla wfully take and receive from said
Marsh the sum of $500 in consideration that
he would continue to permit John 5, Evans to
maintain trading establishment at Fort Sill,
and that he did improperly permit said Evans
to continue to maintain said trading establish
ment at said military post, and said Belknap
was thereby gAilty, while he was Secretary of
War, of high crimes and misdemeanors in his
said Office.
The third article recles that the said VIM.
W. Belkrap as Secretary of War OF the United
States did appoint Jno. S. Evans to maintain
| trading establishment at Fort Sill, and that
| said Evans by virtue of such appointment had
since, until the I'd of March, 1876, maintained
| that trading establishment, and had before be
| was SO appointed, and in order to procur6 such
appointment he continued therein, agreed with
| Marsh that in consideration of said Belknap' s
| appointing him (Evans) to maintain said trad
| ing establishment at the instance and request
| of said Marsh he (Evans) would pay to him
| (Marsh) large sum of money quarterly in ad-
| vance from date of his said appointment by
said Belknsp, to wit. $4,000 during the year
| and other large sums quarterly during each
| year, in order that he, the said Evans, should
be permitted by said Beiknap to maintain
| such trading establishment at such post; that
Evans did pay to Marsh such sums of money
/ quarterly during such year until the month of
| December, 1875; that Marsh upon the receipt
of each of such payments paid one half thereof
to Belknap, and said Belknap, while knowing
| these facts and having power to remove Evans
from such position at any time, crminally dis
| regarded his duty as Secretary of War and
basely prOstituting his high office to his lust
for private gain, did unlawfully and cor
ruptly continue said Evans in such position
| and permit him to maintain his establishment
| to the great injury and damage of officers and
soldiers of the army of the United States sta
| toned at such post as we'll as to emigrants,
freIghters and other citizens of the United
States, against public policy, and to the great
disgrace and detriment of the public service
whereby VIM. w. Belknap was, as Secretary Of
War, guilty of high crimes ana misdemeanors
in office.
Article 4 charges BelkDap with having re.
ceived from Marsh large sums of money fol
| and in consideration of his (Belknaps) having
appointed Evans to maintain trading estab
lishment at Fort Sill and in consideration oil
hls continuing him there whereby he (Belknap
had been guilty of high crimes ,and misdemea
Dors in Office This article is accompanied by
II specifications setting out various tires anC
circumstances of payments of money.
Article after recItng the same general facts
charges that Belknsp was induced to make the
appointment of Evans by the influence ant
| request of Marsh and that Evans paid to Marsi
in consideration of such Influence and recues
divers large sums of money at various time.
amounting to about $4,000 year from tb'
date or such appointment TO the "a of March
Belknap we'll knew, yet SAID Belknap 10 con
sideration that be would permit said EvaBs L
continue to mainfain SAID trading establish
ment and that such payments might continue
to be made to said Marsh by said Evans cor
| ruptly received from said Marsh either for hi
| (Belknap's) own use or to be paid to the wifi
Of said Belknap divers large sums of money a
various times, setting outidates and amounts. al
of which acts and dOngs were while said Bel
knaD was Secretary of War and were hist
misdemeanOrs III office.
| The close of the docu ment is as follows: Aut
the House of Representatives by protestatioI
saving TO themselves the liberty of exhibiting
at any time thereafter any further article o
accusuations of impeachment against sal,
| VIM. w. Belknap, late Secretary of War o
| the United States, and also of replying to hi
answers which he shall make unto the articles
herein presented against him, and of offerp,
| proof the same ane every part hereof and TO al
| and every other article of accusation or i'm
| parchment which shall be exhibited by then
| as the case shall require, do demand that tn
said VIM. W. Belknap may be put to answe
the high crimes and misdemeanors in offic
herein charged against him and that such pro
eeedings, examinations, trials and judgment
may be thereupon had and given as may b
agreeable to law and justice.
The committee also report the folowiD!
resolutions:
Resolved, That seven managers be appointed
by ballot to conduct the impeachment exhibit
ed against VIM. w. Belknap late Secretary o
War Of the United States.