Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-04

secretary Robson this morning er
tered upon his additional duties as &C
ing secretary Of war. He will mere!
attend to the routine business until th
vacancy shall be filed, His hours 8
the war department for the reception
members OF congress is fr IN half-pas
nine to hAlf-past ten O'Clock in til
lnornlag, and at the navy department
nom half-past ten O'Clock to noon.
PHILADELPHIA STILL EXCITED.
PHILADEL PHIA, March The prin
cipAl topic of convtrsation In the cit,
continues to be Belknap's exposure. Ru
mons Of even worse developments t.
follow are current in apparently well
informed political circles.
MORTON OFFERED THE sECEErARYsHIl
NEW YORK, March "a Washing
TON special says that Senator Morton ha
Been requested by the President to ao
cept the position Of secretary Of war
Morton had an interview with the Presi
dent this morning. The President il
still greatly agitated.
WORSE AND MORE OF IT.
ST.. LOUIS, March The Republican
learns from gentleman just from Fort
Sill, that the developments of YESTERDAY
will create no surprise out there, because
everybody at the post has for long
time been cOgnizsnt Of the fact that the
traders have been required to send q
heavy monthly contribution east, and
they even urged, in order to enforce
monthly collections from their patrons,
the necessity for making these remit,
tsnces, explaining that they were re-
CURED to pay for the privileges they en-
Joyed. Lee and Reynolds, post.traders
at camp Supply, make no secret of the
fact that they hold their franchises as a
thing purchased, and at large figures.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DIRECTED To
PROCEED AGAINST BELKNAP AND ALI,
CONCERNED.
WASHINGTON March 3.-The cabinet
met at noon to-day, with ali the mem.
beers present, and remained in sts,;o,,
until after three O'Clock, Tha snhinnts
that received consideration were the in.
stltutlon otcr.ninal proceedings against
Ex-oeersCsry Bslknap and those who
" ere associated with him in the prsc
tlees OF bribery and corruption that have
just been officially discovered, and the
selection OF q new secretary Of war. The
President stated to the cabinet, that
while he could take no sters which
might look ii BE the persecution of sny
one, he had determined not to shrink
from the responsibility which rested on
MIN, anG he therefore asked the attor-
ney-general to take immediate steps 10
proceed with the criminal charges
against General Belknap and Messrs.
MARSH and TOmlinson, and all others
SHOWN by any evidence that shall be de-
duced, TO have had part in the fraudu.
lent transactions that were the subjects
or attention. In the determination of
the President there were full and
thorough expressions of opinion favor
ing such action as the Pres
1dent had determined upon with
the least possible delay. The peculiar
Character OF the case Of General BeIk.
maps offense, differing in many respects
ss 1t does from an ordinary case Of bribe-
ryi was subject of comment and dis
cussioD, the result Of which was refer
ence OF the entire matter to the after.
ney-genersl, who will take the necessa-
~ steps TO enter criminal proceedings
uss as soon IS the facts can be put In
shape to be sworn to. AZ q part OF the
1t was mentioned that there
should bs no delay in the proceedings,
because OF the progress OF an impeaChs
ment trial. The two trials will be en-
tlrely independent of each other. Judge
Plerrepont remained at the Executive
for q short time after the other
cabinet officers had gone to their re.
spective departments for the purpose of
getting what facts the President might
be possessed of, in accordance with the
determination to commence immedi-
ately the proceedings under his charge.
The discussion relative to the appoint
nent of successor 10 Secretary Bslk-
nap was Of considerable length, bat no
decision was arrived at, and there will
probably be another cabinet session
about it. Assurance is given that the
person who will be appointed to the
office will be man of high character
and known worth.
A REPUBLICAN PLEA IN BAR-BIo.
GRAPHICAL.
EDITORS APPEAL-Belknap is now
he great sensation, and everybody will
want to know everything that can be
known about the unknown young man
who becameso suddenly famous BY being
made secretary Of war, and has row be- |
,ome so suddenly infamous by the discov-
.ry OF his continuous crime. WV. Belk- |
zap Is the son of an old army officer,
Who wss a brigadier-general in the reg.
liar army At the time Of his death. He |
vas not brilliant officer, but stood very |
air, and received his promotion by reg |
liar graduation. His son was born at an |
'rmy post, and was raised, it NAV be |
aid, almost entirely in the army up to |
he time when he went to college, at |
orinceton. There he graduated with a
air standing. Hestudied law with Jere |
Black, believe, and was located in Ke-
,kuk, Iowa, when the war broke out. |
lie went into politics almost as soon as
lie went into war. He was elected to |
he lower house Of the Iowa legislature |
n 1857, on the Democratic ticket. In
$3.50 he was chairman of the Demo-
ratio executive committee of Lee cOup-
y. He was as decided and active IS
he duties Of his position required, and /
lad az all times a very readily-ex-
'ressed contempt for the Republican
'srty and its professed principles.
rom his army education it was natural
o infer that he knew something about
military matters, and be, therefore,
ssily obtained an appointment to the
0aj Ority OF al Iowa regiment fifteenth
nfantry) from Governor KirkWood, as
Don as he asked for it, and was muster
d out brevet mEjor-geueral. he went
nto the war a Democrat, sneering at
nd denonncing the Republicans for
aving brought on the war. This
card him do in camp. His affiliations
il through the war were with regulars
nd those officers who had Democratic
ntecedents and copperhead sympsthies
Tor we know there were MANY such.
Selknap was never known as anything
at Democrat until he was appointed
oaector Of internal revenue Of The Keo-
uk district by Johnson, and a decent
egard ID his own interests made him
Iish for re-appointment by Grant,
tence his RepuOlicsnism OF late date
I'd questionable sincerity. II he has
seemed 10 lack a remem-
rance Of his old associations in his
reatmeDt OF southern Democrats. IN
aust be remembered that ne wss a ran,
gAoe, and 1t was necessary to prove his
.neerity by show of zeal. Rssideg
Id he not want to be elected senator by
ows Republicans, and did he not bv
reat effort get tWeIvevotes in the caucusP
ne attempt to make any political can't
II out OF Bslknap's disgrace will bs a
.hure, bscsuss IL will promptly ba re-.
lied by the Republicans that he brought