Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-03-16
Belknap's Early Life.

A keokuk paper contains the fol-
lowing concerning Gen. Belknap's
history prior to his appointment as
Secretary of War. 1t will be seen
that his early associations were bad: i:
A little over twenty years ago W.
W. Belknap came to Keokuk as a
young attorney. He was a Demo
crat in politics. He became some
what active as local politician, and
in 1858 was elected by the Democ-
racy to the lower House of the State
Legislature. About the time he
came Keokuk was in a ferment of
speculation. 1t was a season of
great expectations; gilt-edged prop
erty was selling at fabulous prices.
Mr. Belknap caught the speculative
spirit, and operated to 3 considera-
BILE extent in real estate. Then came
the crash of 1878. and Belknap
found himself in great financial diff
Guilty. Now followed transaction
which put him under unfayorable
opinion for time. Letters from
Eastern correspondents and clients
came to his partner that money
which his firm had long before &C
knowledged the receipt of had not
been applied as directed. Inquiry
disclosed that Mr.. Belknap had re-
ceived the money, acknowledged the
receipt of it for the firm, and in his
financial extremity had used it him
self.
His partner was poor man, but
he raised the money and paid off the
debt. The sum so paid, General
Belknap paid back with principal
and interest as soon as he could
raise the money, and to this use he
applied the salary of his military
service.
When the war broke out, Mr..
Belknap went in with the local COM
pany to which he belonged, and came
back at the end of the war Major
General, and with q record as Il sol
dier, honorable to himself, the State
and the country. He had scarcely
determined what to do as to his busi-
ness future, when Andrew johnson
began his raid upon Republicans, and
j. G. Walker. Revenue Collector for
this district, was to go out by decapi-
tation. At the instance of both
Democratic and Republican friends,
General B., who was War Demo
crat and then Independent, political
ly, dividing his vote between both
parties, applied for the place, and got
it. The agencies that compassed this
result were both Republicans and
D emocratic. When Mr.. McCrary
succeeded to Congress, General Belk-
nap, as an Independent, was reap
pointed by President Grant, and this
appointment was generally satisfac-
tory to all parties. Throughout his
administration of the Collectorship,
rumors were rife in some quarters of
a whisky ring and tobacco ring,
and these rumors continue. AS to
the foundation of them, we know no
thing, and have heard no specific in
stances of alleged corruption at any
time given while he was filling this
office.
General Baknap was suddenly, to
the surprise of himself and every
body made Secretary of War. The
choice was made by the President
from the standpoint of that peculiar
policy which has controlled him in
many of his appointments. Had he
asked any part of Iowa Republicans
or Iowa Democrats whom he should
choose as Republican Cabinet
Minister from Iowa, none of either
party would have thought of suggest
ing General Belknap. No political
questions were asked or answered as
to the condition of his going into
the Cabinet.