The New York Herald Newspaper, March 7, 1876, Page 3

re ~ THE ROTTEN BUREAU. The Precipitate Course of Clymer’s Committee Regretted. WEAKNESSES OF THE CASE. Probable Renewal of the In- vestigation. THE ESCAPE OF MARSH. & Republican Resolution of Inquiry Suppressed. BELKNAP IN CUSTODY insincerity of His Effort to Shield His Wife. ORVILLE GRANT’S TRADERSHIPS. {An Ingenuons Confession by the Brother of the President. Wasuixeroy, March 6, 1876, There is a sort of unfairness in the cry which has been raised hore that Mr. Belknap was the victim of his wives. Women have to suffer enough in all mis- fortunes, and it oughtto be known that the bare facts of Mr. Marsh’ timony, which is now printed, do not bear on theJnsinuation that Belknap would have ‘been guiltless but for the woman “who did it,” as the Phrase goes, The first Mrs. Belknap died, according to the records, in December, 1870, when ouly one payment had been made to her by ‘Marsh. Her child died in June, 1871. ‘The present Mrs. Belknap went to Europe in the same ear, but Marsh testifies that he continued to make tho Payments after the first Mrs, Belknap's death, after the’ feath of the child and after the departure of the pres- eut Mrs, Belknap, thon Mrs, Bowers, for Europe; that is to say, Mr. Belknap received the quarterly payments fegularly, when he stood alone, unmarried and child- Jess, during the interval between June, 1871 and 1873 when he married his present wife. It is entirely un: fair, under these circumstances, in his frienas to lay the crnne on weak women. The clamor about bis anxiety to shield his wives does not rest on a solid foundation. It would have been more to the purpose \f he had squarely assumed the whole matter, as he might very well do, considering the above facts, A RECOMMITMENT TO BR ASKED FOR, The Impeachment Committee will ask the leave of ¥he House to have their matter recommitted in order that they may bring forward other vestimony, which Yhey have in their possession. The absence of the Witness Marsh is believed to make this necessary. They have Sufficient testimony besides that of Marsh snd more 1s coming in all the time, The republican’ blame Mr, Clymer for letting Marsh go, but it is very well understood that Marsh ran away because he was Vhreatened by Attorney General Pierrepont with arrest and trial. Mr. Pierrepont’s excuse for this is said to be that Marsh is as guilty as anybody else, and that the President says, “Let no guilty man escape,’? which some people, about here begin fo think means, “Ict no man escape who 4s guilty of telling.”’ PROTECTION OF WITNESSES. \ bill will be introduced to-morrow in the House to” Protect witnesses, by which every witness summoned to appear betore a committee of Congress will be guar- antced protection in coming, staying and returning from the place to ®bich he is summoned, and shall be Protected against responsibility for anything he may testify; and it is madea misdemeanor to threaten a Witness for anything he may testify, or may be about to testify. GEORGE H. PENDLETON’S DENIAL. Mr. Sayler, of Ohio, while sitting to-day as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, received the following teiegram from Hon. George H. Pendleton, formerly a Representative from the same district :— Cixcixxati, Ohio, March 6, 1876. To Hon. Mirtox Sayer and Hon. H. B, (NING, House of Representatives : Ifthe article in yesterday’s Capital, in relation to the payment of money to Mrs, Beiknap to secure pay- ment ot a chum to the Bowler estate, or to the Reh. pronounce the lucky Central Railroad reters to me, story utterly false, 1 have telegraphed the committee asking that they will investigate immediately this matter and permit my examination at the earliest moment. Enforce my request. Please see that my full emphatic denunciation of the story in all its Aspects gous through the Associated Press despatches. GEORGR H, PENDLETON, THE GIVING OF BAIL POSTPONED, This afternoon Judge Snell, of the Police Court, re- teived a note from District Attorney Wells stating that ‘x-Senator Carpenter informed him that Belknap would not be ready to appear in court to-day with his bail, and asking that his caso be allowed to stasd, and that this arrangement had been agroed to. Belknap wilt remain in the custody of the court officers, and will have a hearing to-morrow. BELKNAP’S CONFINEMENT. ‘The ex-Secretary still remains in his own house, which he has not left since the tender of his resigna- Mon, and is, to all purposes, a prisoner, the entrances back and front being guarded by policemen. Messrs, | Darpenter and Blair, his counsel, appeared at the Attorney General’s office to-day and asked that the police be removed, as the Secretary had no intention whatever of attempting flight from Washing- ton, To this answer was mude that as goon as an in- flictment was found the Secretary would be arrested | and could then give bail, which would relieve him from the surveillance to which he is now subjected. Should | the Grand Jury meet with any embarrassment im ob- taining necessary evidence to frame au indictment upon the arrest will be made without the indictment, Several personal friends have visited General Belknap to assure him of their sympathy with him in his | | his errand of observation, took up en rowle a friendly troubles, To-morrow Mr, Belknap will be formally arrested by Major Richards, Chief of Police. Personal triends who have visited Mr. Belknap to-night say that he appears somewhat more cheerful than he has been since his Gisgrace was first known to the public, but he carefully avoids conversing on the subject of bis mistortunes, LEGAL UNCERTAINTIES. The progress of the impeachment proceedings is retarded by the legal uncertainties of the ease and the desire to take no step unadvisediy, J. Proctor Knott, Chairman of the House Com- mittee on Judiciary, was busily engaged until after midnight in the preparation of the articles of impeach- nt of the ex-Secretary of War. The committee met at ten o’clock this morning and were along t! ses- sion, not adjourning until near three P. M. There was Rot entire unanimity in the committee, some of the members taking the ground that the evidence obtained by the investigating committee was not compete enough, oF at least not so much so as a judicial com- mittee would have made it, to form a solid basis for a successful trial by impeachment, Mr. Knott says, however, while such is the case, the testimony is ample to frame articles on which General Belknap can be convicted without a shadow of doubt. . TWENTY-THREE IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES, About four o’clock it became known that the Ju- diciary Committee bad prepared twenty-three articles, and were ready to rgport to the House, accompanied with a motion to recommit to them, in order to be enabled to take further testimony to strengthen the case beyond any question arising of the possibility that it could in any way be Weakened or invalidated, Mr. Knott stoutly denies, so far as he has any knowl- edgo in bigcapacity as Chairman of the Judiciary Com- mittee of We deliberations bad by tnem, that there ds any disagreement in his committee with the views fakem by the investigating committee as to the ful- fess and strength of the evidence already obtained ‘paninst General Belknap. They sd¥ that of course they “departure of Mr, Marsh ; currence of anything of importance after the regular | would have been, it Is asserted, to intimidate other wit- ph forks “ ¢ 2 wish that it could be more full and complete; that it is hardly in the condition of a well prepared ju- dicial investigation, in the preparation of which more time would be taken, When reference was made to the weakness of the case on account of the flightand | probably continued absence of the witness Marsh, Mr. Proctor Knott was unstinted in his severe denuncia- tion of ‘THE BLUNDER OF THE AUTHORITIES in publishing the fact that orders were given to have the witnesses Marsh and Tomlinson prosecuted by the Attorney General Myr. Knott ts contident that they can convict en the articles in the form in which they will be presented to the Senate to-morrow. A question having been raised whether General Belknap coald be tried by the criminal jurisdiction and by the court of Impeachment, Montgomery Blair, one of the counsel, atates that there is no difficulty or conflict between the two tribunals, and he can be legally tried by both, A distinguished republican Senator trom the West was engaged last night in examining into the law, and he says there is not im the case now suflicient evidence against General Belknap to convict, and that the whole fabric will fall to the ground, as with Marsh in exile the prosecution can prove nothing. Jak Evans, the | Fort Sill post trader, is at St. Louis, en route for this city, having been summoned as a witness by the com- mittee to give evidence corroborative of that of Marsh in General Belknap’s case, It is said that the intention of she Judiciary Committee to ask that the testimony be recommitted to them is significant of @ weakness or insufliciency in the case as it now stands, But as the post trader Evans and others are coming here to testify, it will enable them to take further evi- dence and make the case as fall and complete as can bo required. After the adjournment to-day Messrs. Heister Clymer and J. Proctor Knott, chairmen re- spectively of the House Investigating Committeo on Expenditures of the War Department and of the Judic- iary Committee were in close and earnest consultation to secure ® more BRQECTIVE CO-OPERATION and the avoidance of amy obstacle which might prevent their going forward a8 rapidly and precisely as the nature of their joint offigial action will require. Mr. Proctor Knott says that there is nothing now In the way, from either @ legal or other standpoint, to prevent an eventual guccessful prosecution of the case against the ex- of War. In regard to the and bis escape beyond the reach of control by it ts said that imme- diately after his was taken Mr. Clymer, act- ing under the impression that the commitice had no further use fur him, took him up, certified to his pay- ment for expenses and directed his discharge. Mr Bass, of his committee, 0 somewhat, sgying that he thought he should be ined until, if necessary, General Beiknap’s cout might be enubled to cross- examine him. Thus some persons, perhaps not friendly, charge that Mr. Clymer 1s in a measure ro- sponsible for enabling Marsh to escape to Canada. On the question of the fulness of the evidenee the demo" crats are quite touchy, and say, somewhat testily, that they hav enough. 4 Govsewp To tae REPUBLICANS. The alleged remissness of the committee in allowing both Marsh and Toi who, under the provisions of the Revised Statutes, equally guilty with General Belknap, to take their depafture from Washington with" out hindranee or objection, has, in fact, afforded the republicans in the House a timely and what they be- yove an important meang of offsetting something of the opprobriam cast on their party by the crime of the ex-Secretary. To make the best of.this point they sought strenuously this afternoon to get in a resolution through Mr. Page, of California, condemning the action of Clymer’s committee, but Mr. Southard, of Ohio (democrat), moved an adjournment, and, notwithstand- ing the most urgent appeala, refused to yield the floor for any other purpose. To put the democrata on the record the republicans demanded and had the vote on adjournment taken by the yeas and nays. Mr, Clymer went to Mr. Page after the House had adjourned and protested that if h@had known the nature of the resolution he (Mr. Page) wished to intro- duce he would have been perfectly willing to allow it to be offered. THE SUPPRESSED RESOLUTION. The resolution thus ‘Suppressed was given to the re- porters by Mr. Page, and reads as follows:— “Whereas this House has good reason to believe that the provisions of sections 5,450 and 5,461 of the Re- vised Statutes have been violated and that the evi- dence of the violation the: 18 now in the possession of the Committee on res jn the War Depart. ment, therefore, be it resolved that said committee be and is hereby instructed to report to this House, at its earliest convenience, whether any or all of the parties believed to be guilty of the violation thereof are now in custody or what steps have been taken by said commit- tee to secure the detention or prevent the escape of any or all of said parties, either as witnesses or for the pur- poses of prosecution, or whether any official notice was given tothe proper law officers of the government, and, if so, whether such notice was given in time to provent the escape of such parties from the jurisdiction of the United States, and whether any of such parties have #0 escaped and whether there has been any negli- | gence on tho part of any one baving knowledge ot the facts.”? MR. HOAR AND THE SECRETARYSMIP. Mr. Rockwood Hoar, of Massachusetts, got off a good thing to-day upon being asked about the then current report that he was to be made General Belknap’s successor as Secretary of War. He said thee he did not know anything about it and had not even Ween consulted on the subject. All he had to say about it was that he was in the attitude of the man who was asked if he could play the fiddle, and said ho did not know much about it, but if he was required to play he woula do his best; saying which he walked off, laughing very good maturedly. The army officers on duty here say that ‘they are glad a civilian has been selected who has had | nothing to do with, and does not know anything about the army, so that he will have no favorites and be the triend of no clique. ‘A BAGACIOTS POLICE. It turns out that among the incidents cited by the Secret Service force as inducing them to suspect that the ex-Secretary of War meditated flight from Washington was the mysterious movement of @ carriage occupied by acouple of men which was driven to the vicinity of General Belknap's residence last Friday night and remained in the neighborhood until after three o'clock next morning. It so happens that the vehicle referred to was no moro or Jess than a carriage containing @ Henacp reporter, who, in view of the prevailing rumors that the disgraced Cabinet Minister was likely either to attempt suicide im his great mental dejection | orto take refuge in fight, was detailed to watch the Scene of either exploit until the police authorities, wno up to this time seemed utterly regardless of their duty tn the case, should take the official in charge. The re- porter who leit the Herald Bureaa about midnight on telegraph operator, so that be might be able to open up commupication with New York instantly upon the oc- service over the wires had closed. The two men drove to the vicinity of General Belknap’s house, and conceal. | ing the carriage in an adjoining alley reconnoitered the | premises front and rear and kept their faithful vigil until nearly dayhght, MARSH'S ESCAPE, In regard to the charge that Marsh escaped through Heister Clymer's negligence, the fo!lowing statement 13 | authoritative:—On Thursday, the day that the commit- tee reported to Congress, Mr. Blair, Belknap’s counsel, declined to ask Marsh more than one question. Then the witness inquired, in the presence of the whole commitice, ifthey were done with him. The Chair- man replied ‘‘¥Yes.’’ Marsh said that he wanted to go to New York as soon as he could, He,was told to go | to the Sorgeant-at-Arms and get his fees and | mileage. That was the last the committee saw of him. Ne protest against his going was offered by any ono when he took his departure. The committee had no power to keep him longer unless another subporna was issued and a new charge made, as the entire committee said that they were done with him, fo have kept him nesses and prevent them from appearing in the future, and the effect would have been what Pierrepont do. signed when he wrote ois famous letter to the District Attorneys ot the United States—namely, to close the mouths of witnesses and drive them from the country, thereby sheltering and protecting persons guilty of trand and villany. WHY WILLIAMS LEFT THR CADINET, Startling facts are well known in official and legal circies, und they will soun appear, showing why At- torney Gencral Williams left the Cabinet. It is be- Neved that Mr. Pierrepont was well aware of those facts, and withheld them from the public in ©rder to screen Attorney General Williams from the truth, and that whatever mistakes he had made in | served the crown of laurel with which, I believe, the | don’t quote me.”” the fete that awaits Mr, Belknap. It is no longer the subject of wonder among some Persons here that Attorney General Williams was chosen to accompany Babcock to St. Louis and assist im his defence, here is authority for believing that another member of the Cabinet, whose character warranted the statement that he would make known all the facts regarding the late Attoracy General, failed to do bis duty by not exposing him at once, ‘THE UPPRR MISSOURI TRADERSUIPS. Mr, Orville L. Grant, the distinguished brother of the President, and chief official Indian trader of the White House, has been summoned to appear before Mr. Cly- mer’s investigating committee to-morrow morning, to tell what he knows of the villainies of the Upper Mis sourl. The committee say they are determined to let no guilty man escape. EVANS’ COMMISSION ANNULLED, The following telegram was sent to General Sheridan to-day :— Wan Deragrwent, Ansvtayt Gexerat’s sre} Wasuixorox, D. C., March 6, 1876, Te teereate GeyeRaL Saenipas, Commanding, Chi- The President directs you to notify E' Post Trader, Fort Sill, that his appointment is revoke. ie will be tte to remale and sell goods at prices fixed vy a Council of Administration, till the appoint- ment of his successor. The President directs you to direct Council! of Administration to meet and'to rec- ommend to the Secretary of War, through milita chauuels, a suitable person for Trader. Lotter by mail E. D, Towsenp, Adjutant General. INTERVIEW WITH MR. EDWARD T. BARTLETT, ATTORNEY FOR MR. MARSH. i " A Hexatp reporter called yesterday afternoon on Mr. Edward T. Bartlett, the counsel of Caleb P. Marsh, in order to ascertain the correct statement of his connec- tons with the Evans contract. Mr, Bartlett did not object to answering any questions in regard to the case, and the following conversation ensued :— Heratp Revorter—I believe, Mr. Bartlett, you have held the relation to Mr. Caleb P. Marsh of lawyer to cliont? Mr. Bartierr—Yes, sir. Heratp Rerortsr—How long did you oecupy that position ? Mr. Bantiett—Mr. Marsh has been my client since 1869. The business transacted between us was mainly relating to mercantile affairs, in which he was iuter- ested, Hxnatp RerorTeR—About.whattime did the Evans matter come before you? Mr, Bantierr—Mr. Marsh paid me a visit in 1870 and asked me to draw up a contract betwoen him and a Mr. John 8. Evans, It was the same contract that was brought as evidence before the Congressional Com- mittee. . Heratp Rerorter—Did you know anything of his connections with General Belknap, or how he came to get the appointment of post trader? Mr. BartLert—I know nothing whatever of the out- side faets that led tothe framing of the contract. With me it was merely an affair in the regular order of busines®, and was, consequently, drawn up inthe usual form. I gave no advice in regard to tt, and it was simply @ business agreement, such as any respect- able attorney would draw up for bis client. Herap Reronter—Did you have to renew the con- tract or make any alterations in it? Mr. Bartietr—No, sir; in fact the matter passed entirely out of mind until some two weeks ago, wi Mr. Marsh called upon me and had the interviews which he has repeated in his evidence before the com- mittee. Hexatp Reporter—That, then, was your first know!l- edge of General Belkuap’s connection with the matter? Mr, BartLetr—I do not mind telling you this, as Mr, Marsh has already mado it public before the committee, and in answer to your question, I treely state that I knew nothing of the facts of the case beiore hé mace me that confession. It was the first knowledge I ro- ceived that the contract drawn up by mo was the basis of improper transactions between Mr. Marsh and Mr. Evans on the one part and General Belknap on the other, Heratp Rerorter—Did you give Mr. Marsh the ad- vice that he toid the committee he received from you? Mr, Bartiert—Yes, sir, I told him exactly what any honorable practitioner would do—that 1s, if he went before the Congressional Committee he would have to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the past must not deter him from taking a course that would commend itself to all honorabie men. Heratp Revortsr—Did you teil him anything farther in connection with the case? Mr, BarrLert—Nothing of any importance, {n fact, I think that everybody will acknowledge that Mr. Marsh's story bears the imprint of trath, as ho has made no effort to evade any of the questions that were pat to him by the committee. Henrato Rerorr Heve you had any conversations witn Mr. Marsh since he appeared before the com- mittee? Mr. Bartietr—My present relations with Mr. Marsh are confidential, being those of attorney and client, and I shall, therefore, be forced to decline answering that queation, As Mr, Bartlett was unable to give any further in- formation on the subject, the interview was then brought to a conclusion. BELKNAP FROM A WEST POINT VIEW. There are on-detached or detailed duty and on leave of absence in the city at the present time quite a num- ber of army officofs, many of whom are graduates of West Point. Someof these gentlemen won the rank of major and brigadier general in the late war owing to distinguished services in the suppression of the rebel- lion, and their names have gone aown into history | covered with honor. Those gentlemen aro sensitive; they ke nly feel any slur that may be thrown upon the profession of arms by the revelations made in the Bel- kuap bribery case, and, with the reticence for which army officers are celebrated, they are carefulin express- | ing an opinion as to the practices of their late Secretary of War—General Belknap. Yet, when a member of the Heraco staff, who had served with a number of them in several trying campaigns, yesterday sounded them at the Army Headquarters 1m Houston street | and at the hotels, all showed a willingness to express their opinions, not only of the failem Secretary, but of their present superior officer, the President of the United States. Said ono to the writer, “Belknap ts not the groat of- fender, Behind him and away ajove bim is a mi who, educated at West Point, instracted in the points of honor (hat should govern army officers and render them impervious to approach either by politician or plebian, Las prostituted bis office at every step im) the interest of party. I will not name him. but you | can easily, Yankee lke, ‘guess’ who he is, This man | owes the position he now holds in te first place to Illinois politicians who had im. | fluence with the well meaning President Lin- coln, and in the second placo to the fact that | when the war closed he had a responsibie position that made him poputar with the leaders of both politica; parties. It was unfortunate that upon the reputation of Sheridan, Thomas, Hancock, Sherman and others he reached a goal that has enabled him to RULE 4 COUNTRY and make every army officer subservient to him. 1 tell you, sit, our American people were too patriotic when the war closed; they did not stop to ask who de- old Romans crowned their victors, but hurriedly placed it upon the brow of a—" | “Fraud?” suggested the reporter. t is about | the long and short of it,” said the officer, with aamile; “but,” continued he, “I forget im my enthusiasm that discipline was one of the first lessons I had at West Point, and I should not have said so much, Please we POINTERS ARE HONEST. Said auother:—‘Thank God Belknap was not a grad- uate of West Point. Your long familiarity with army officers, sir, must have impressed upon you one téet— that West Pointers had a code of honor in the army that the mushroom gonerals from the political areoa knew nothing about, I will not say that the generals raised from citizenship, the men whose only military knowledge when the War broke out was confined to an annual review and muster at some country cross-roads in Maine or California, are dishonest; but I do say that they do not understand the, code of honor that governs West Point graduates, Why, to illustrate this it is only necessary for me to call your attention to one fact. Let me pat it m the form of a question:—When the war closed how many ‘West Pointers resigned their places in the line or on staff and sought advancement through political infa- ence? You were in the confidence of George H. | court was ‘Thomas, William B. Hazen, Dove Stanley, Jeff C. Davis, RW. Jobnson, Thomas J, Wood, 0. 0. Howard and 4 dozen other regular officers who commanded corps and | divisions. Where are they? In the line to-day oF dead; some are in command of departments, Can you Fecall the fuct that evea one of those West Pointers proved a bribe-taker or a thief? Now, TURN TO TUE VOLUNTEER OFFICERS, and what do you ind? How many became, when the war closed, United Staves marshals, Senators, members of Congress, postmasters and ‘pets’ of the central power at Washington? Belknap, Logan and a score of others 1 could name are representatives of this class. Who are the defaulting internal revenue oflicers? I answer, political officers. Who are the army officers given fat places in the Post Oifice Department who have ruined their reputations and gone into exile or the penitentiary? I answer, politicians who, during the war, owing to political influence, were promoted over West Pointers. Who are the fellows who, afllxing ‘colonel’ or ‘general’ to their names, are mixed up in the whiskey frauds? I answer, pollitical geverals and colonels, I tell you, sir, the whole system is rot- ten. Again I say:—‘Thank God Belknap was not a West Pointer!’ Nearly every ex-officer who bas becn ‘caught’ has proved to bea politician, There, that is all I can say,” A GENERAL'S VIEWS. One of the gentlomen that the reporter subsequently met for the first time iu twelve years greeted him most cordially and at once remarked ;— “This ig@ sad thing about poor Belknap. Where will it end?” ‘The reporter answered by candidly stating that ho | had sougtit him out to get his views relative to Bel- knap’s fall, “It is entirely owing to his wife,” said he; “I do | not believe that originally Belknap was a party to the Fort Sill bribe, But whenm/he learned of it he continued under the influence of a pretty wife and fell. It is the old, old story—woman’s influence, Neither do I think that the late Secretury profited so much out of the sutlerships as you gentlemen of the press think. I have had some expericace of the matteras a com- mander at various posts, and, while | have had no per- sonal knowledge of irregularities in the way of bribes, I hevo learned trom other oficers facts that justify me in saying that political imfluence has had more to do with tho sutlerships than the actual payment of money. I know this is so of Fort Russell, Fort Laramie and | Omaha Bartueks, where, by the way, General Jel! C. | Davis is now incommand, All these posts were run by politicians, who bad tofluenceat Washington, and if | money hag been paid for the franchise, certainly the commanding oflicors do not know it. Tho whole sys- tem 1s wrong, I tell you. The appointment of sutlers should never bavo been taken out of the hands of the Pust Commandant aud THR COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION, and transferred to tho War Department. The Post Commandant appoints the three senior officers of the post as the Council of Administration. It is the duty of theso offlg@rs to establish rules for the government of the sutles or post traders, fix the prices, &c. This council is ly changing in its complexion by the | sickness, on leave or transfer of an army Officer, Honce there is little or no chance for collusion between the sutler ana the council. A memberof the council who may to-day haye a voice in the council, an@ whose voice is law, may to-mor row be given a leave of absence, or be trans- ferred, and the next ranking officer succeeds him, You will see, therefore, that it {s tmpossible for the post traders to control, either by influence or bribery, the Council of Administration, simply for the reason that its members are constantly changing, and any irregu- larities would be at once detectod. The council could only be controlled by the trader by bribing every offi- cer atthe post. I have had great experience in the matter, and I most unequivocally declare that the vest- ing of the power of appointment and regulation of tho sutlers in the Wur Department is not only subversive of discipline, but opens the door for the perpetration of just such irregularities as, it appears, our late chief has been guilty of. I said a few moments ago that the satlerships were secured by political influence, As proof of this let me say thata man who secured the ition at Barracks bas since been appointed nited States Marshal. Army officers will do their duty, and can be depended upon, but politicians— rarely.” INTEBYIEW WITH CAPTAIN ROBINSON. EXPLANATION bv ‘THE CHARGE MADE AGAINST HIM—A PACKED COURT MARTIAL. Baurimony, March 6, 1876, The residence of ex-Captain George Robinson, who resides at No. 16 South Chester street, in this city, was besieged yesterday with interviewers representing tho city press and some parties prolessing to represent New York and other paperd from early inthe morning until after the family had retired at night, Captain Robinson's present employ ment is that of draughtsma in the Columbia Irom Works. He was at Fort Sill 1868 to 1874. ‘The Sun this morning publishes the following as the result of the interview of its representative yester- ax vi Captain Robingon claims to have prepared these | charges against Belknap in the different letters se: tient Grant direct through the military chan een 1869 and 1872, long belore any churges were gainst him (Robinson). tain Robinson has ia his possession a number of bills of items covering this period in account with J. ©, Dent & Co, and their successors, J. 8. Evans & Co., military and Indian traders wt Fort Sill. PRICES ON THR PRONTIER. prices may be formed by citing a few items, as followa:— ‘Two bushels of potatoes, $10, Five gallons of coal oil, $10, ‘Two pounds of cheese,’ 80 cents, Six boxes of matches, 75 cents. ‘A bottle of soothing syrup, $1 50. A broom, $1. Fiatirons, 35 cents per pgand, A Unpan, $1 50, ‘A half vashel of potatoes, $3 25, A paper of needles, 25 cents. ‘Two pounds of crackers, $1 20, DRAWIXG ‘LONGEVITY Pay.” In regard to the charges made against him, Captain Robinson says tho principal charge was for drawing whut is known as ‘longevity pay,” being ten per cent of the officer's salary after a service of nve years and twenty per cent for ten years’ service. Captain Robin- son states that be joined the Fiftty-sixth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, at Harrisbarg, September 9 1861, which can bo proved, he says, by his commission and’ master-in roll, now in the hands of his attorney, Genoral ‘Henkle, at Washington, and also by’ a certificate from General Holtman, of Philadelphia, of that regiment. The officia army register credits him with service only from Feb-1 ruary 26, 1862 He claimed and drow ‘iongevity pay”? from the lirst date, and was notified of its stoppage by the Pay master General September 15, 1 and imme- diately returned the disputed surplus, to Ausis: taut Paymaster Brown at New York, for which he holds the receipt. ‘THE PACKED COURT MARTIAL. The other churges against him, he says, were pur- | chasing goods from post traders ‘and not paying jor | them, and also not paying a doctor's bill and conduct uabecoming an officer and gentleman. Ho c! have paid both, He was placed under arrest September 12, Isi4, and without being furnished a copy of the charges was trica St. Louis barracks October 19 following without counsel. Mr. Eaton, of St. Louis, & lawyer, would have represented him,’ bat he “was called to Washington on very important business, and called ou Secretary Be! postponement of the caso untit jis r presented as | having added, “If that court don’t conviet him, by God | Tl Gud one that will,” Captain Robingon says that the not composed of his peers, ag required by | law, but Witn one exception under-rated him. They | were:—Surgeon B. A. Clements, President; Captain Joseph T. Haskell, Twenty-third infantry, Captain George K. Brady, Lg < eo infantry ; Captain Ow Hale, Seventh cavalry; Lieutenants Geor, jacM. Ta’ Jor and P, T. Broderick, and another } nant of the Twenty-third infantry. There were several officers who ranked bim in St. Louis, he says, at the time, and a competent court have been sammoned. tence, as betore given, was rendered April 15, 1875. cinanaanetl = ye ‘EPTIONS, wes by The pr ngs an ings were app: Judge Adyocate General Holt with exceptions as foi- lows :— “The Court erred in refusing to grant time to the ac- cused to confer with bis counsel for the Bs pe] of | preparing cros* interrogatories to be propow tothe ‘witnesses Whose depositions were to be taken by the prosecution. The most ‘opportunity should al- ways be afforded the party on trial for such a purpose. Inaymuch, however, as there is no reason found in the condition of the evidence on record for supposing that the defence was by this denial, itis Bot held to. affect ike validity” of the proceedings pay roils of ndings. The ori; imal accused in posses. sion of the government, instead of certified copies of them, should have been introduced in evi- dence, with proof of bis handwriting, and the oppor- tunity afforded him of their genuineness. | Notwithstanding the 1 im this respect, the | facts sought tor LF ts by the production of the copies are regarded as fully established by sufficient evidence. No legal proot of the notice to the accused, as alioged, is found vo the record, The certified copies of letters addressed to him, unaccompanied by any evidence {o show that he received the orig- inals, of even that they were duly mailed to his proper address, are wholly tnsuflicient to establish these allegations, the findings as to which are there- fore disapproved.” Robinson was not released until May 3, 1875 He has since eatered sait in the Court of Claims for the “longevity pay” he retunded, and hag taken steps to bo reinstated, by the Board of Admiralty amoung the crews of the | | royal navy. r, Daa became a member of the Bar in 1841, and attained great distinction in admiralty cases, but his “RALD,: TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1876.~TRIPLE SHEET. WASHINGTON. | Judge Pierrepont’s Explanation of the Letter to the Distriet Attorneys, SER intee ares ray BELKNAP’S SUCCESSOR. Lot M. Morrill to Fill the Va- cant Secretaryship. Richard H. Dana, Jr., Made Minister to England. Opposition to the Indian Peace Policy. FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, Wasuinctoy, March 6, 1876, THE PUBLICATION OF THE LETTER TO THE WESTERN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO BE INVES- TIGATED. In view of the letter of Attorney General Pierrepont it explanation of the letter to the Western District At- torneys thé House to-day took the matter from the Judiciary Committee and handed it over to a special committee, with power to investigate and report. Ac- cording to the resolution the select committee, consist- ing of seven members, are to ascertain whether any “officer, official or employé of the United States has, in any manner consulted with or put in the hands of any friend, agent or attorney of any of the defendants in the prosecutions lately tried at St. Louis, any of the evidence, plans, papers or other things on which it wag believed the government would rely in these cases or any of them, or whether any official other thin the District Attorney or his assist- ants has sought to interfere with the management of any of said prosecutions, power being given to the committee to send for persons and papers,”’ to compel the attendance of witnesses and to report at any time. This committee has been caretully selected, and it will proceed energetically to work at once, and will summon Mr. Dyer, Mr. Henderson, the Attorney General, the Solicitor of the Treasury, the Secretary and perhaps, before it geta done, the President and General Babcock. NOMINATION OF SENATOR LOT M. MORRILL, OF MAINE, 48 SECRETARY OF WAR—HIS ACCEPT- ANCE ANTICIPATED, The President has offerod the portfolio of the Secre-. tary of War to Senator Lot M. Morrill, of Maine, His nomination was made out to-day and would bave been laid before the Senate had not Mr. Morrill made a special request that it be held back until to-morrow on account of some personal considerations which might make it necessary for him to decline the position. He has been consulting with some of his personal and political friends this after- noon andevening, and those to whom he has talked are of opinion that he will notify the President to-morrow morning of his acceptance. The appointment ts one of the best General Grant has ever made. Mr, Morrill bas long been a member ot the Senate Appropriations Committe, and is thus familiar with the necessities and the abuses of the department he ts to take charge of He belongs to those republicans who have been consistently and vigorously in tavor of reform and retrenchment, and he is an uncommonly able and independent man, whose accession to the Cabinet will strengthen tho best. elements in it and give the country assurance that the course of reform will not be obstructed in the future as it has been in the past. SKETCH OF LOT M, MORRILL. Mr. Morrill was born in Belgrade, Kennebec county, Me., in 1815. He entered Waterville College in 1834, but soon after commenced tho study of law, and in 1839 wasadmitted to the Bar. In 1854 he was a memy’ ber of the State Legislature, and in 1856 of the Senate, and became its President. In 1858 he was elected Governor of Maine, and was re-elected in 1859 and 1860. In 1861 he was elected a Sena- tor in Congress for the unexpired term of Hannibal Hathlin, who had been elected Vice President of the United States. In the Senate he served on the committees on the District of Columbia and Claims. He was also a member of the Peace Con- gress of 1861, He was re-elected to the United States Senate in 1863 for the term ending in 1869, serving as chairman of the Committee on Expenses in the Senate and of that on the Districtof Columbia, Ho was re- elected aud is now in the Senate. Mr. Morril is over sixty years ot age and is five tect ten inches high. The head is bg 9 big and very round, and its baldness makes it look bigger and rounder than | it 1 He is not corpulent, but he is big all over, and it {8a solid size and not a flabby one, The expres: sion of Mr. Morrill’s {aco shows firtancss, and purposo in the firmness. He was Governor of Maine in the war and developed good executive power—was energetic, solid and honest. In the Senate, Mr. Morrill lalks | Jittle and stops when he gets through, but he is a good committeeman. His voice begins in a guttural, swelis to an oritund and dies in a gurgle, There are no flow- ers of rhetoric in his specch—nis uttcrances are dry, sententious and crisp. FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT, Wasmxatox, March 6, 1876, APPOINTMENT OF A NEW MINISTER TO GREAT BRITAIN, The President has scntto the Senate the name of Richard H. Dana, Jr., of Massachusetts, tobe Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain, vice Robert C, Schenck, resigned. SURTCH OF RICHARD I, DANA, JR, THR NRW AMDAS- Sabon, The newly nominated Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Richard H. Dana, Jr., isa man aiready dis- tinguished in American literature, law and politics, in which he has done honor to his country by a display of eminent ability and sagacity, He is tho son of Richard H. Dana, the venerable poct and esa yist of New England, and grandson of Chiet Justice | rancis Dana, who was mach distinguished, like his father, as alearned jurist, Richard H. Dana, Jr., was b¥rn at Cambridge, Mass, August 1, 1815, He ¢ tered Harvard ‘College ’ and graduated in 1837. A weakness of the eyes, induced by — sickness, compelled him to suspend his studies, aud an ve love of the sea, which be had eu | 4 from his boyhood, impelled him to seek a ation to robust health by transforming nimuself | into a common satior, He sailed in the orig Pilgrim from Boston in 18, and made a voyage around Cape Horn and along the Pacific coast to California, then a wilderness to whicn the seductive gleam of gold had not yet attracted the swarms of adventurers wuo afterward made the year 1849 a famous epoch. the sea he published in 1840 the celebrat “Two Years Betore the Mas’ which speedily became popalar, even in Europe, ns ond of principal ‘literary sources o pent to many bardy toilers of the sea. Lt | rd authority on mautical matters, together w bis “Seamen's Friend,” which was republished in Eng- land as the “Seamen's Manual,” and was distributed tice soon became more general. One fact, which is of particular interest at this time, is that hi fully defended in Maine the legal misstoners or trustees of a common schoo! to require the use of the Bible therein, He was a delegate in the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention in 1863. He ‘was one of the founders of ‘reo Soil party and delegate to the Buffalo convention of 1848. He was engaged as a stump Orator in favor of the election of Lincoin to the Presidency in 1860 and in 1864, and of Grant in 1865 and in 1572 In 1859 and 1860 he tray- elled ‘through California, the Sandwich Istands, China, Japan, India and Egypt, and the principal co ‘jes of Europe. He United States Attorney for Massachusetts in 1861, and con. ducted for the government all the cases respecting naval prizes which were tried in that State during the war. He quicted the office in 1866. He was also asso ciated in like cases with William M. Evarts in the Supreme Court. He was counsel jor the United States in the proceedings against Jeflerson Davis in 1867-68 on the charge of treason. Mr. Dana edited in 1866 Wheaton’s “Elements of International Law," covering the period from the time of the author’s death in 1848 to the date of publication. His notes ac- companying this work were frequently cited daring the Geneva arbitration as authoritative and had been translated into French tor the use of tho members of the international court, He was a mem- ber of the Massachusetts Legisiatare in 1867 and 1868, He bad already received the degree of LL.D. from Harvard Cotlege and was a lecturer on intefnational Jaw im tbe Harvard Law School, In 1668 be General Butler tn the contost for Congress in Essex, He bas been an oveasional contrib- ind to several considerabie portion of his fame by bis brilliant bos. 4 ments in defence of fugitive slaves, and he vigorously opposed the Fugitive Siave law by bis strenuous elo- THE INDIAN QUESTION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION O§ THR SENATE—THE QUAKER POLICY DE NOUNCED —TWO OF THE PRESIDENT'S APPOINT* MENTS VOTED OUT. The Indian question was brought up and discussed 1m Executive session in the Senate today. The demo crats unanimously opposed the present system of dise tributing the agencies among the ehureh denomina tions. ‘The republicans who jomed with them wor@ Vaddock, of Nebras! and Windom, of Minne+ Sota, Strange to say, the democrats were in thé majority at this session, owing to the absence of several republican Senators, They denounced what is known as Grant’s Indian policy, originally called the Quaker Peace Policy. Two of the President’a Appointments were voted out, and it was strongly intis mated that the country bad bad enough of the Delano Smith plan of civilizing the Indians by sham mission« aries and thieving agents, This is the first time during the President's administration that the Senate has rev fused to sanction bis Indian appointments, but no ong is to blame except the so-called friends of the Indians, who have squandered the appropriations given them and brought deep disgrace on the Indian Bureau. THE TRANSFER OF THE INDIAN BUREAU TO THR WAR DEPARTMENT, The Appropriation Committee agreed to-night to re port in favor of the transter of the Inaian Bureau ta the War Department. It is estimated that $4,000,000 or $5,000,000 will be saved by the change. The Bureag of Education is retained, with some reductions, GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES, Wasuinatoy, March 6, 1876, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON THE LETTER TQ THE WESTERN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS—THR REASONS FOR IT AND ITS TRUE INTENT AND SIGNIFICATION—THE REPORTED COMMUNICA« TION WITH BABCOCK’S COUNSEL EMPHATIx CALLY DENIED. Attorney General Pierrepont has addressed a letter ta the Hon. Scott Lord, Chairman of the sub-Committeo on the Judicury, saying his fair and considerate letter of the 3d inst. gives him the opportunity to fully ex- plain certain charges contained in newspaper publicas tions, copies of which had been enclosed to him. The Attorney General says that, in relation to the whiskey cases at St. Louis, Chicago aod Milwaukeo, the Secretary of the Treasury and himself were in frequent consultation, and they never differed in their policy nor in what they deomed the best mode of carry- ing out the policy, In October last, while the Soli, tary of the Treasury was in St. Louis, they agreed upon, and the Secretary despatched, a communication to the Solicitor in the way of instructions, in which he said, among other things, that unless important ends are to be gained im other cases he would make no terms with any individual party, The Attorney General says the policy indicated in this order was not com- municated by him tn any circular letter to the district attorneys of these cities, but it was intended to be cars ried out alike Mm St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee, Nothing occurred to lead the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Treasury or the Solicitor, so far as the Attorney General knew or beheved, to change this policy in any degree; but about the middle of January and subsequent thereto various newspaper slips, prix vate letters and personal statements came to the Presi- dent, and ina lesser degree to the Attorney General, that bargains were being .made or wore about to bt made with criminals whose testimony was not in tha slightest degree needed, by which a large number of criminals were to be let off from any kind of punishment; to be relieved of Persecution in ® manner likely to bring scandal upon the administration of justice and quite at variance with the policy expressed by the Secretary of the Treasury and approved by the Attorney General, ‘These statements were in a large measure affirmed te the President, and subsequently to the Attorney Gen: eral, by one of the oldest and most trusted supervisors in the service, and who claimed to know from personal knowledge upon the subject, and especiaily in relation to criminals in Chieago, It was ulso stated to thé.Attorney General that bar- gains of very questionable propriety were being made in Milwaukee by counsel without consultation with the District Attorney, and without any com- ‘munication with the Attorney General, from whom they received their appointment, and for ‘whose judicious conduct the Attorney General was responsible. The President was greatly disturbed by these varied and repeated representations of a course so at variance with the policy before indie cated, and he brought it to the attention of the Attore ney General, and finally suggested that, in view of the repeated statements, it would be well for the Attorney General to let tho district attorneys receive some cau tion upon this subject, and therefore a letter was des- patched by the Attorney General to District Attorney Hazleton, and {s the one copied in the officigl recorde of the department, with a note that the same was sent to the district attorneys at Chicago and St. Louis. In this letter the Attorney General said he reposed in the officers the good judgment to refrain from every« thing that could by possibility be construed as favor- itism toward those who had defrauded the govern- ment, and remarked, ‘It is the President's reiterated desire that no guilty man shouli escape.” A few days later, the President being still further pressed aboui the matter, sent for the Attorney General to lears whether he had taken any action in the case. As tho letter was purely official, and as all such letters are strictly confidential and intended solely for the eye of the district attorneys and for the sole pur- pose of advising them of the complaints which were being made, and to caution them against any appear ance of improper management, the Attorney General was greatly surprised at the publication of the letter, and quite amazed that it should be wrested from it# orginal purpose and used fo end never imagined by tho writer, The Attorney General sot himself to work to discover how the letter found its way into print, and finally came to the concinsion that it must have got out through the copy sent to the President, and he received informa. tion which convinced him that {t was so, and the fact that it was imperfectly reported in the Westera pa- pers ied him to believe that it had been read, and, per- haps, imperfectly remembered, On speaking to the President on the subject he said he had no knowledge r ofthe letter. The Attorney General says:— { for the opportunity and have now ascer- at General Habeock, or some one for bin tained |. who had access to the President's papers, obtained a | copy of the letter without any knowledge on the 4 of the President, and that tho same was used in manuer now known to all, bat under whose advice the Attorney General does not know. It 1s quite certain, he says, that, if any of the defrauders of the revenue imagined that they were to reap advantage from the publication of tho letter of from the very false construction which they tried te force upon it, they had been or would ba signaily mis taken, The Attorney General says since the acqutita: of neral Babcock he bad seen it stated in one of the 7h papers thatthe cvidence bearing on the guili of Babcock was communicated to bis counsel by the Attorney General, He wished to state, in the mow emphatic language, and without any possible reserve Vion, that there 1s not and there never was the slight est truth in the statement, He never made a commun’ cation, either written or verbal, to any one of General Babcock’s counsel upon the subject, As to Storrs, wht is the counsel specially mentioned, the Attorney Gen- eral says he has no recollection that he ever saw bim in his life. Ho was certain he never wrote to him. He might have seen nd have been introduced to him fat some one of the crowded receptions of the Prost- dont, This is possivle. Very many persons are intro- duced to him at these receptions whose names are often indistinctly heard, and therefore not re membered, He certainly never saw Storrs at bit house or at the depart or at any other house or place where he ever conversed with him upon the subject of General Babcock’s trial, or upon any other subject, Judge Porter is the other counsel mentioned, fe is am eminent law, New York, and an old acquaintance of the Attorney ( and mach valued friend, and, besides, he ia man of delicacy and sense, He oneo, and dropped the subject utterly, and never resumed it ¢ alluded to it again. Doring his call they blican, and his legal career seems always to bave been quite consistent ‘with his private political pri soquired @ ‘onraa” a BFE called to pay his respects, and state merely that Bgrexe was here to prepare himself in the Baboock trial, theyear of David Ra