The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-04-06
WHY HE FELL.
Soeial EsgtrapagaHee e ne National Capital
Essred BegEHap to Rafa.


gressiOnal investigating committee affect
ing the official integrity Of w, w. Bel
KNAPP, secretary Of war. No event in the
history Of official administration in wash.
ington has ever caused more painful
interest. When Gen. BeIknap was ap-
pointed secretary Of war on the death d
Hon. John A. Rawlins the selection
occasicned universal surprise, and in no
state more than in Iowa, where his resi-
dence had been for many years. He was
lawyer by profession, but had not
attained to eminence. He was a brave
and honorable officer in the union army.
but several officers IN his adopted state
were his seniors in military rank and
distinction. At the close of the war be
was appointed to a federal civil trust,
but not Of a high grade.
From his induction, however, into the
high Office Of cabinet counsellor h,
bore his new honors 50 modestly, and dis
charged his duties 50 excelEently, that in
brief time he won the approval and the
pride of the people Of his state, and the
respect of the whole country. He seemed
to have obtained. also, from the outset
the confidence Of the president, anu to
have retained it uninterruptedly until
the resignation was rendered and ac-
cepted yesterday. During his admins
tratiOn of the war office, extending
through the larger part of two successive
presidential terms, he did not, indeed.
escape charges of malefeasance but sf-
ter the long, searching, bitter investiga-
ton of his official connection with the
sale of United States arms to the French
his vindicatiOn was 80 triumphant in all
respects that his reputation as an honest
officer of the cabinet from that time on
ward was left reasonably free from as
sault. The blow under which he is now
stricken dewn, apparently never to rise
again, comes, therefore, like lightning
bolt from an unclOuded sky. It has
stricken him so suddenly and irrecOvera-
bly, as to have paralyzsd his personal and
political friends, and to have appealed to
the pity even of his political enemies.
Men of all parties, and who can in no
manner defend nor palliate mis- great Of
fence, are moved to silence and to sad
ness in the view of the swfftness and the
hOpelessness of his fall.
Without a full knowledge Of all the in
fluences leading to this catastrophe, it
may be safely assumed that one element
which was potent in producing it was
the extravaganza of social Life which
seems to have become accepted as an in
adjunct of high official rank
in Washington. While a senator or a
in congress, with a salary
Of $4,000 a year, is often eOmpelled-un-
less he has liberal private incOme-to
accept of lodgings on the upper floors of
private dwellings, and browse
around in unsavory dining-ha'ls and res
taurants for his meals, cabinet officer,
with salary of 5000 a year, is expected
10 maintain an establishment where the
Inequalities of foreign dignitaries and
resident and transient citizens of great
wealth and high rank NAV be returned
IN kind.
There are only three modes by which
this popular expectation may be met
Theoficer must have a liberal private for
tune at his command, or he must gener-
BUS and cOnfding friends who are willing
10 discount his expectations in the flu
lure; or he must sell his official and per
,onal honor for a price. Rather than ac-
,ept of the latter alternative brave
nan viii refuse to accept the social |
,Ourtesies which he cannot return or,
{ accepted, ignore the customary laws |
# reciprocity in such cases. How, when,
n where the remedy may be applied for |
his extravaganza of social official enter
ainment at the national capital it IS not |
,ur purpose here and now to discuss
nut in passing judgment on the secretary |
Who has fallen from a dizzy height OF
,ficial rank to a depth far below that Of /
he poorest citizen in honest private life,
/ should not be forgotten that the great
,ublic itself, by the exactiOns il makes |
lpOn some of its officials, may have |
lelped to push this man, once possessed
# an unsullied, sOldierly name, to his /
and his distraction.