Year: 1876

pressed himself in most emphatic disgusted,
and thought IL simply outcropplng OF the
Shepherd Ring II was the result Of inordinate ex-
travagance and the general demoraiz of day
an entire loss OF the principles OF honesty
and integrity. II was Just such men as this
who had loaded down and embarrassed
the republican party, which had achieved such
grand results. and had been glorious In principles
and men, II was a burning shame that its glorious
record should be pulled down and dragged in the
dirt He had no patience to contemplate the subject
aud felt that It was disgraceful in the extreme He
expected more OF II and thought 1t would end
by some OF them gong to Jail Senator Hitch
cock, Of Nebraska, was sreved ia the extreme it,
and regarded 1t as great calamity. lie coneurred In
great with what Senator wadlegh had SAID.
Senator Conover, of Florida said while be had
son to doubt the main facts he still thought as only
side of the had been heard that perhaps there
were some extenuating circumstances Senator Bout
WELL OF Massachusetts,, detected and appalled, in
the extreme at the sad event. which no could barely
credit and he inquired whether really true He
felt that 1t very unfortunate affair, and
shocked at the suddenness OF IT, Il think II is a very
melancholy thing, ana 1t is too bad that 1t oc-
curred,' SAID Senator Norton lie was taken
all aback The BeikLap matter upon
US like clap Of thunder clear summers
day. am very sad over it. did not think Secretary
Bcknap would make such foolish show Of himself;
but the whole. never expected any great things of
him. cannot say how 1t will act politically, but 1t
looks very ugly. II falsely rumored
that went up 10 the Presidents to-day to adj
wise him to accept Mr. Beknaps resignation but had
nothing OF the kind In my head; had go up there
some other business, and as going in met
ex-senator Chandler coming out with Secretary Bel
knap, and when President Grant he told me
about what he had just done in the matter OF accept





from my visit that the report out that Mr.. New
appointed to succeed Mr.. Belknap
Ex-senator Trumbul OF Illinois, said he very
much surprised He had always taken Belknap TOR
honest man. but If the thing had struck in Of three
or four other places he would mot have been SO as
tonished He thought, however, It was


STRANGE COMMENTARY
upon what had happened In this terrible business,
that such Secretary Robson should have
been selected Secretary OF War dd interD,-a
man who had really been proved guilty than four
years ago before the American people He was very
much grieved about IT, affected the whole country
and made appear very badly and humiliated in the
eyes of Europe and in fact before the whole world.
1t indignty upon American people. 81 look
for things yet and can't say where It Is
going TO end"


McCreery, OF kentucky, listened to the remarks OF
Dystanders regarding the possibility OF Belknap's i'm
peachment by the House, and syly remarked that rs
he had been In one Impeachment trial (Andrew John
son's), he would say nothing about it,





was in session TIL late the regular order OF busi-
changed to the reception and disposition OF
bills, evidently because the republican members had
desire to make speeches. Early in the afternoon
tho report generally circulated through the Senate
that Belknap had


SHOT HmsELy


and when 1t was announced that the estigation COM
mittee about to report in the House there q
speedy thinning out in the galleries and many Of the
Senators withdrew AT the close Of the session Scna-
tors Conkng and Edmunds had long conference and
1t remarked that their faces were unusually grave.
POLITICAL RPFEcr


Senator Norwood OF Georgia, who expects to defeat
Hill for the Senate next year. thought that the result
OF the Belknap investigation woud be to carry New
Hampshire by democratic majority II HIPS amnesty
speech did not neutralizc it. He OF the opinion
that the ex-secretary could be impeachod notwith-
standing he had resigned





among tho democratic Senators that Grant made
a great and objectionable mistake in accepting Bel
knaps resignation and adding that he did II with
! gret"


what is the matter with tho President" was the
frequent exclamation heard the floor and in the
| lobbes from members of both parties.





Washington. In allits official and private life was
startled and shocked this morning by news that was
teagraphed to the country last night concerning Sec
retary Boknap. At midnight scarce OF people
in the city knew the outline Of the story and
that number outside OF members OF the committee
engaged in the investigation. Besides these members
there a few lawyers who had been consulted one
members each side Of the House and four or
FIVE correspondents who had the facts. The men,
bers of the committee sworn 10
ABSOLUTE sRcREsY


Though the had been virtually made out against
the Secretary for several days, yet at his urgent
quest and entreaty It kept up the last
moment Of tho session, which lasted till long after
midnight The morning papers here had allusion
the matter and the first public intimation OF tho
situation reached the city the Baltimore
Gazette But the story, though told with great
racy was incredible that generally discussed
as sensational Even among members and Senators
story which gained currency not believed
until near the hour OF meeting of the two Houses,
when some Of the members OF Mr. clymer's
Committee the floor and confirmed the des-
patches from baltimore Long before the matter OBJ
tanned credence in Washington kilograms had arrived
from Boston, New York, Cincinnati and Chicago asking
for details and in many whether the story could
possibly be true II seemed almost incredible but Il Is
true that


THE PRESIDENT KNEW NOTHING
OF the facts which had boon developed before the ely
mer Committee until about ten O'Clock this morning
Republican members Of the committee posi-
ton where they could tell him, all solemny
sworn to sccresy. so common with nearly all
members OF Congress and citizens generally the Prcsi
dent remained in entire ignorance OF what had hap
pcned long after the country outside Of Washington
was in possession Of the main facts and also
fact member Of his Cabinet had fully decided to
resign


The President had just been made that seri-
ous matters, gravely affecting member Of his
Cabinet had come out before House Committee and
had been given TO the public and had just sent to Mr.