Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-03-10
THE BEEKNAP INEAMY.


THE BEEK NAP INEAMY.
We make no apology for taking up
so much of our space this morning In
laying before our readers the partlcu-
lars of the nation disgrace. 1t viii be
seen that the bribery has been going
on continuously for more than five
years, and that the corruption extended
through the whole family of the late
Secretary. The first Mrs. Beiknap
was party to the corruption from It's
inception to the time of her death.
After her death it was sought TO make
her poor little innocent child carry the
load of shame but the child lived not
long under it. And then the Score
tarv's new wife comes to the front aud
she too is party to the corruption.
Meanwhile when he has no convenient
wife to take the bride money or when
he happens to be in New York the
Secretary receives 1t himself. The
sordid corruption of MIR. Belknap Is
open to the gaze of the world and can
not be hid. His talk about IMAM
hood" and "honor," about ''assum ng
the responsibility" as if his wives only
had been the real criminals andnot hi,n-
self will deceive no one. For five years,
he. a sworn officer of the government
has been living by the plumber Of tie
government. Indeed, if other proof
were needed to show the utter base
ness of the mans nature, it would b.
found ia the very defence he makes fo,
himself, and that lie permits others 70
make for him. Surely there can be
no lower depth in infamy than that
reached by the man who seeks to inter
pose his wife's dishonor as a shield to
his own. But suppose 1t be true that
the frat dishonor WAS that of his dead
wife, has he not been for years know
ingly fattening on the proceeds OF that
dishonor Aud this is the man who
according to his own showing. has for
years been knowingly living upon tire
proceeds of his wife's di5honor, whose
sensitive soul affects to be over
whelmpd with shame and mortitca-
ton at the disgracefui position IN
which he finds himself Why was he
rot thus overwhelmed a week ago ? IL
what is he different TO day from what
lie was then ? In nothing. save that
now his base corruption is known TO
ali the world, and then il was not. He
is over wnelmad now with shamc-not
because he is a villain, but because he
has been caueht IN his vil'ainy. Such
is Belknap:
It is with 10 pleasure that we
make this publication. We gl0at
over no mans disgrace. We de-
light in no mans dishonor, and. to-,
we can honestly say we fee Inundated
at the disgrace that has fallen upon
the American people. But the dis
grace is upon us and all that we can
now do to vindicate the stained honor
of our country is to consjgn to merited
punishment the base wretch who has
done US such grievous wrong, and not
only him but every other official who
may have done violence to the honor
of the country.
President Grant has at last begun to
realize the gravity of the situation i'll
which he has placed himself, and now
denies that, at the time he so hastily
accepted Mr.. Belknap's resignation,
he knew of his guilt and asserts that
he thought, from Mr.. Belknap's state
ment. that the guilty criminals were
members of his family. for whose acts
he felt obliged to ass ume the respon-
sibility. The President denies also
that he knew when he accepted Mr..
Belknap's resignation that any COM
mittee of Congress was investigating
his conduct. OF tins statement it is suffi-
cient to say that few men in the coun-
try will believe it to be true. Presi-
dent Grant cannot escape the odium
inseparsble from his attempt to shield
Mr.. Belknap from punishment.
We are indebted to our eGterprising
cotemporary the Baltimore Gazette
for the report of the committee con-
tanning the testimony of Mr.. Marsh
published below. We are always sure
of finding the latest and most reliable
news in the Gazette. It's great enter
prise is as worthy of imitation as it's
success is deserved.
From a special dispatch to the
Baltimore 1merican we lelrn that
Secretary Belkuap's wife is a..
native Of Kentucky, and youngest
daughter OF DR.. John Tcmlinson, Il
prominent physician at Harr:,i,burg
Her first husband, John Bower, WAS IA
m reliant IF Cincinnati. Two wears
ago, after tl,e death of Bnw"r, she
married Gen. Belknap al Har odsDn,g Q.
Her sister, Carrie TomIlnson, was also
a wife of Belknap, but died December
81, 1870.
From the Baltimore Gazettel
Tuesday, February 29.-'rhe COM
mittee met at 1920 A. M. Present
Messrs. Ciymer, Black burn and Rob
bins. Mr.. Caleb P. Marsn, one of the |
ordered TO be subponaed by |
the committee, being present was duly |
sworn according to law.
Question by the chairman. Where
do you reside?
Answer. I reside at No. 80 West
Eiftv-seyenth street New York Rava
resided in New York about eight |
years.
Question by the chairman. Were
you or not appointed or rendered an
as post trader at Fort
Sill, Indian Territory, in the fall of
1870 by the Secretary of War. If SO
under what circumstances was said