Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-03
SECRETARY EELkHAp.
Report of High MaIieaSance
in Office.
His Resignation rendered and
Accepted.
Sec'y Robson Appointed Acting
Secretary Of War.

New York, March .. The New York Sun says
Secretary Belknap has been charged by witness
brought before House committee, with maliea-
| sauce in office. 1t says the committee eXpend-
lures of the war department will report to the
| House to-day through chairman Clymer The out
| line of the story is as follows:
Mr. Marsh of New York city, appeared yes
terday before the committee and testified that he
procured of Mr.. Belknap, secretary of War, a
| contract for certain post traderships at Fort Sill
and other points in the southwest for which he
paid the wife of the Secretary $4,000 cash. and
| continued to pay as long as he retained the con-
| tract some $4,000 per annum
lie also testified to other frauds and corrupt acts
the part of the Secretary, and produced records
in evidence to substantiate every fact stated by
him. lie was subjected to a thorough examina-
ton, but was not shaken in single particular.
Yesterday afternoon, says the Sun, Secretary
Belknap was summoned before the committee, and
| the evidence ofMarsh read to HIM. He confessed
that the statements were true, and that he must
submit to his fate. He mplored the committee,
however, to save his wife from dishonor and to
suppress some of the most damaging proofs, offer
ing to plead guilty to an indictment charging him
with any other crime, if the horrible record of
corruption were withheld, and to tender at once
his resignation. But even the republican mem
bers of the committee. Mr.. Danford Of Ohio, and
Mr.. Bass Of New York, were memorable.
The committee then adjourned till evening,
| when it again assembled to consider whether they
should allow the Secretary to resign, and should
rest satisfied with reporting the facts in the record
| to the House.
| After short conference, it was determined that
| this could not be, and that the committee feel it
necessary to report q resolution Of mpeachmeI t.
The Times has similar account of Mr.. Marsh :
evidence but says that Secretary Beknap nci Their
admitted nor denied the truth of the testimony.
1t says the exposure must be followed by the inn
mediate resignation of the Secretary, and even
| more serious consequences would seem anayoida-
| BILE.
Washington, March 2.
| The republican members of the committee on
expenditures of the war department is authority
| for stating that Secretary BelkLap has not yet
| been before the committee, but is to examine 4
| this afternoon. The same authority states that
the President has accepted Belknaps resignation.
report on the subject will be made to the House
day, if the committee are able to finish taking
| testimony before the adjournment.
The President to-day appointed Secretary Robe
| son acting secretary Of war.
Proceedings in the House.
Mr. Clymer of Pa, presented a resolution of
| impeachment against VIM, W. Belknap, late Sec
| rotary Of War, for high crimes and misdemeanors
| in office.
| In the midst of great excitement and with an
unusual stiffness in the House, Mr.. Clymer rose
| and said
| II ask permission of the House to make a re
port from the committee on Expenditures in the
War Department, of so grave an Importance that
am quite certain that when it is heard this House
will agree that | am justified in asking that per-
| mission at this time"
The permission was given and Mr. Clymer TAX
ing his position at the clerks desk, read his re-
port
The committee found at the very threshold of
| its Investigations such unquestioned evidence of
] the malieasancc of Gen. VIM. W. Beknap, then
Secretary of War, that they found It their duty to
| Law the same before the House. They further re-
port that this day at II o'clock letter of the
President of the United States was presented to
the committee accepting the resignation of the
Secretary of War, together with copy of his let
ter of resignation, which (the President informed
the committee) was accepted about 1920 this
morning. They therefore unanimously report
and demand that the said VIM. w. Belknap, late
Secretary of War, be dealt with according to the
law of the land, and to that end submit herewith
the testimony in the case taken, together with the
several statements and exhibits thereto attached,