Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-04

take oil possible steps - see that they are
- few - possible.
CALHOUN SS ~ TINE PUBLIC
Conscience.
Probably tts startling rumors Of
fraud In the War Department, involv-
Ing the personal and official honor of a
Cabinet officer, which were published
in our dispatches yesterday, will
scarcely awaken throughOus the coun-
try . moiety of the interest that would
lie evinced in the result of an ordinary
prize light or horse racs.
The public &C conscience seems to be
callous and apparently dead to an
thing like rs appreciation of the enoriR-
ity Of the frauds upon and robberies of
the National Treasury which have been
and are % almost daily brought to
light, all over the country and in al
most every branch Of the public ser.
vice. The frauds in the Indian service;
In the Navy; in the Postoffice Depart
mont; In the Districs Of Columbia; and
she wholesale frauds In the revenue
asrvise, - disclosed in the whisky ring
developments in d. Louis, in Cinciu.
natl, In Indiana, In Chicago, in Mil
wsukss, in New Orleans and other
psrts of the country-frauds that would
have excited the public to the highest
pitch Of alarm and indignation at a.
most any ether period in our history.
arc now looked upon with cold indiffsr-
sncs, and regarded ~ q matter CT
course than occasion for surprise.
Why, the disclosure that Al obscure
clerk Of . Congressional Committee
had had the folly to name his son for
the assassin Booth; the that y
negro had been killed 1t the South in q
street row with a white man, or the in
discreet utterance of a Southern news
paper, the gabbls of jeff. Davis, or
the imprudent retort of q Southern
Congressman against a Northern as
sailant-creates in the Northern mind
an excitement AMI an indignation ten
fold greater than tho disclosures OF al
the frauds and robberiss committed In
this country for The last en- years-and
their nAnne u legion-have succeeded
in arousing.
Since the above VS. In type tho dis
patches Of to-day have conveyed 70 us
the information that the Secretary Of
War has virtually confessed his guilt
OF certain charges brought against him
before the House Committee on Ex.
penditures In the War Department, in
connection with the awarding OF the
sutlershlp at Fort sill. A man named
Marsh hes testified before the COM
nittee that he paid or caused to be
paid t. Mrs. Belknap $4,000 In cash
fer the appointment Of said su,ler and
tAst abs had been paid yearly $1,000
since ssid appointment. The Score
fary, or ox-Secrstary, did not and does
not attempt to conceal his guilt in the
matter. aud has rendered his resigna-
ton Of his seal In the Cabinet 10 the
President. This. we fear, has been &C.
cepted. We fear it has been accepted,
because We are already informed
by telegraph that . resolution of i'm
psachmsnt against the offending official
has been presented Ia the House, aud
constitutional lawyers entertain grave
doubts whether impeachment will lie
against IN officer whose resignation
has been accepted and himself dis
misssa rfsssn etioe by competsnt au.
shortly. We hope tho President has
mot astsd too hastily In this matter, and
BY accepting Belknsp's resignation
thereby forestalled the impeachment
By the House, the trial by the Senate,
and the punishment of tho offender.
Tho American people should draw .
iesson from Belknap's confession Of
guilt. There are many other army
pests In the United States Of equal i'm
portance with Fort Sill. There are
within the gifts Of each department of
the Government hundreds OF positions
OF pecuniary importance fully equal to
that Of sutler at . military post. How
far this POPULATION, this bribery and
corruption has extended, we cannot
ny; but for many years our current
expenditures have-as we have fire..
quently shown-been great beyond
example, and the country calls for full
knowledge Of expenditures. Crime has
bsen traced TO n Of the highest ON
Gals In the land; crime may be on.
cealed within the breasts OF other off,
eials equal In authority and position.
We make no snsh charge; we hope In
yessigatioa may prove the lack o.