The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-04

the corrupt clique who surrounded him deter
mined TO have the law changed. Accordingly,
came to the Senate, the Hon. Henry Wilson, the
Chairman OF the Committee on Military Affairs
and Gnong the rest was one providing that from
and after the passage OF the act the Secretary OF
establishment to be maintained at any military
post on the frontier not In the ,yicinlty
ade%en. Sn 'Sw SSoh estaSsSmsns & sen IN n.edss ei
freishtcIs and other citizens and the persons
be appointed by him. When this amendment
was under discussion Senator Nye called aten-
tion to the fact that limiting the military posts
toned there no authority over him was
isst.pssI sSms % Of hIs peSperiences s"S wheS
he first went to Nevada. The provision
was speci,ly defended by Senator Thayer, OF
the Military Committee, who wanted the Secre-
tary OF War to exercise some control over these
traders. Senator Nye said he did not think the
thorlty TO give one man a monopoly OF bust.
mess, and thus shut out competition. rhayer
because he knew an instance where two
traders were allowed at a fort, and
the result was that in Their Efforts
fcrior goods, ana thus created great dissatisfac-
tion among the officers and soldiers stationed
there. lie added, This section was prepared
to carry out the views Of the Secretary Of Var
and OF officers OF he army, and IL was submitted
TO them to see whether 1t was the proper one to
be placed un tho I'M" This amendment was
discussed In the Senate On the 7th OF July, End
on the 18th Of July Congress adjourned this
provision having been adopted aud made part
Of the army appropriatlon.
TIE EFFECT OF THE cuASGE
OF course the nows Of what had happened
soon reached the eSrs of the traders at the va
Many Of them had all their fortunes invested In
the goods which they had on hand, and II they
were forced to give way 10 new ,comers they
would have to sacrifice their stock aud submit
to whatever terms their successors proposed,
because 1t would not pay TO transport the goods
back to the states several hundred miles
to come Into competition with mer-
chants who had incurred no extraordinary
In n few weeks Washington was full Of post
traders their agents wEO wanted TO make
| terms with the Secretary of War. Ihcy came
armed with recommendations from the officers
at the posts where they were located, but they
soon found that recommendations were not
| II they were fortunate enough to obtain
| an audience with the Secretary of War, they
| werc quickly given to understand that he
| didn't propose to consult the officers " niili-
| ~ post In reg rd to waom he should appoint
| poor fellow would return crushed and broken
| hearted to the hotel, and In the course Of the
| evening one of the Iowa gang would introduce
| himself to tho di-apbointcd trader, and In the
| course OF .he conversation that would naturally
en-ue the applicant woula he told to c II upon
| with tho secrctsry Of fWar. Like u drowning man
! the tind"r would catch ~ any straw. and bright
anu e-iiy ths next mornin- would hnd HI way
| tslk business. "How muca Niil YOU pay down,
| and what can YOU afford To ply annu llyf' II
| thcrN was any hesitation ON the part OF the tra-
der. he was told that II ne was not wiling TO ray
for the privilege OF escaping bankruptcy, there
were plenty q men who wsntca tue post.
THE FORT SILL TR lDING POST.
The trader At Fort sill this time was John g.
| Evans. who bad for hls financial hacker JOi j.
| Evans Of ST. Louis. Evans had heen at this post
from Fort Ar6uckIe lie had just gone 10 the
expense OF erecting tine storehouso
from Cincinnati to Fort smith, and then
hauled acros, the country 10 Fort Sill. u
| distance ~ ~ NIL 3. He had a tlck on hand
.h' must be sacrinced. lie came to. wash
ms,on, where he Lad n9d many triends;'
him through. OF course for II consideration.
This was some time In the latter part OF July or
the first of August. After an interview with
Beknap the Iowa man returned and told Evans
he could not 90 anything for him, that the place
w.s promised. In his desperation Evans went
to see the secretary himself who told him IN a
| But Evans was In no condition TO lie repulsed,
and he Insisted, and on explaining his situation,
permission was anaiy granted him. when
ttadershIp had been promised to {. p. XYsrsh. 4
friend Of his In New York, but that he was
the business himself, and perhaps he
might make terms with him II lie would
9 York aa3 aas s n.y. n9s fYa%' Tsp.
at the Grst interview said he knew notuing
about the matter; that he had had some talk on
| the subject With tue secretary, but nothing def
mite had been done about IL yet. Evans re-
turned to Washington, and In day TWO be
who took niu To the Arlington Hotel. where he
met Marsh and agreed upon tae ,eIms On which
he WAS TO have the post.
RICH BONANZA.
| II is known here that Lee & Reynolds tae
Traders at Camp Supply. Indian territory, pa 8
$1,000 year for the privilege they have. A
| part of this money will undoubtedly be traced To
Belknap's friends. Persons VINO are In a posi-
ton to know say that his revenue from these
post tradeships alone has aggregated at least
Caleb p. Marsh was for many years an estlma-
BILE citizen OF Cincinnati, being one of the firm
Of the large idware house Of Tyler Davidson
x Co., OF which Probasco, who gave To that city
the elegant fountain. was also member. MIR.
| Marsh "a "A gentleman OF culture. lie has trav-
| clled extensively and says tnut he did not think
| the proposition when made was exactly right,
| that ne did not want the place nor the money
| but IL appeared to be tho desire of the ladies.
Mrs. Belknap end Mrs Bowers, TO nuke some
money ana he never thought Of the Secretary =
| connection at all.
Yesterday and last night the President and his
family remained indoors as soon as the facts
were made public which led Belknnp to tender
his resignation, and callers were told that not
one Of the fmily WAS receiving. Gen. Beiknap
| alsO kept within doors. ana walked his room
| most Of the night, lameDting the snare which
fashonablr lie ana avRrice had entangled him
| in. His wife was very M to-day from nervous
| excitement
THR EFFECT or THE DISCLOSURES.
In the midst Of all this gloom, the chief clerk
| Of the War Department Is as cheerful aud merry
AS bird. He thinks II "A huge Joke, and laughs
when anybody ailudes TO n as something d s.
graceful and Ceplorable. Not so with the mem %
bers Of the Cabinet who we're hoping that the
| unpleasantness which exists between three Of
their number would be forgotten, and the sub
ject of Cabinet matters let alone, at least uLtll
after the New Hampshire election.
| The saddest Of all men Is MIR. Blaine. His
mind wandeTs overthe country, and he mentally
calculates In his sleep how damaging tine reve-
itOns Of yesterday must be Ia the Presidential
election. IL becomes asetiOus question whether
| will "a a risk "A mammalian for /.
dency this year.
mo, not even the assassination OF President
Lincoln was as startling as tho news printed in
The SUN OF yesterday" said a leading Republi-
can member Of the House today THAT was
the murder Of a single man, whose martyrdom
elevated his name throughout the world, and
enshrined his name In the hearts OF his coun-
Trymen. But the turpitude OF ono OF the
| Presidential advisers arouses most righteous In
| dignation. IL oompes the mind to dwell upon
lo.thsome revelations, creates suspicion excites
| distrust, and detracts from the confidence which
| mankind have In the perpetuty Of republican
Institutions. 1t is the blacklist page In Ameri-
| can history"
| DISCUSSION IN THB CABINET.
The Cabinet met at noon to-day, with all the
members present,and debate In session till after
| 3 L. NJ. Inc subjects whion received attention
| were the institution OF criminal proceedings
| against ex Secretary Belknap and those who
were associated with him In the practices OF
| bribery and corruption that have Just been OFF,
cialy discovered, and the selection Of a new