Belknap's Impeachment

The Articles Chai ging Him with High Crimes and Misdemeanors. The impeachment articles agaiu3t Mr. Bolknap, reported to the House by the Judiciary Committce, aro five in number, and are worded üi the usual legal phraseology, one being largely a repotition of the other. The flrst article is as f ollows : That William W. Belknap, while ho was in office aa Secretary of War- to wit, on the 8th of October. 1870- had the power and authonty undor the laws of the United Statee, aa Hecretary of War, to appoint a pereon to maintain a trading establishment at Fort Sill, a military post of the United States ; that aaid Belknap promised to appoint one Ca'eb P. Marsh to maiutain said trading establishment at said military post, and thereafter the said Caleb I' Marsh and one James 8. Evans did entor ioto an agreemeut in writinp, substantially as lows : [Here the articles of agreeuient ai o ! set out in extenso] ; that theroafter, on the I lüth of October, 1870, said Belknap, as tary of War, did. at tho instance aud ! quest of said Maroh, appoiut said John 8. Evans to maiutain said trading establishment at Fort Sill, and in ' sideration of uch appointraeut that said ' Belkuap did, on or ahout the 2d of November, I 1870, unluwfully and eorruptly recoive from said Marsh the surn of $1,500, and did at diwra times thereafter, that is, on or about tho 17th of January, 1871, and about tho end of each three months daring the term of one whole year, while he was still in oflic-i a Secrotary of War, unTawfolly reeeive from said Marah'liko sums of $1,500 in consideration of tho appointment of said Evans, and in oonsideration of his (Belkuap's) pennitting said Evans to continue to maiutaiii aid trading CBtablUhment at Fort SiU, whereby tho said William V. Belknap, who waa then Secretary of War, ;is afnreMÚd. was gmlty of high crime and misdemeanors in ofhee. The second article recites : ThatsaidWm. W. Belknap, while Secretary of War, as aforesaid, did, outlie 4th of November, 1873, wilfuily, corrnptly. aud unlawfully, take and reeeive from eaid Marsh tho sumof 1,500, in coimideration that he wotüd continuo to permit John S. Evans to maintain tho saicl trading establishment at the said military post and the aid Belkuap was theroby guilty, while he was Secretary of War, of high misdemeanorj in lii-i said ofh'ce. The third article recites : That the said Wm. VV. Belknap, as Secretary I of War of the United States, did appoiut Johñ 8. Evans to maiutaiu a trading emablisl ment at Fort Sill, and that said Evans, by virtue of such appoiutment had since, nntil the 2d dav of Marcli, 1876, maintaiued that tradiug tatul)Hshment, and had, beforo he waa so appointed, aud in order to procuro snch appointment ,ind bo coutmuod thereiu, agroed with Marsh that in uonsideration of said Belknap's appointing him (Evans) to maiutaiu said tradiug estahlialiment, at the mstance and request of Baid Marsh, he (Evans) would pay to him (Marsh) i a large mira of money quarterly in advance j from the date of his s'aid appointment by aaid I Belknap- to wit, $12,000- during the ycttr, and l other large sums quarterly during each year, in order that he, tho aaid Evans, should be permitted by eaid Belknap to maintain such trading establishment at nuch post ; that Evans did pay to Marsh suüh sums of money quarterly duriug each year until the month of December, 1875; ihat Marsh, upou the receipt of each of suoh payments, paid oue-half thereof to ! kuap, and the said Bolknap, while knowing j thoe fivctii, and having power to remove Evans trom Kuch positjon at any time, criminally ' regarded hi duty aa Sesretary of War, and I biujely prostituting his high olhce tohia luut lor I private gain, did unlawfully and eorruptly continue said Ryans in sucli position, and permit I him to maiutaiu his establishment to tho great iujury and damugo of ottioers and aoldiers of I the army of tho United States stationed at such post, aswell a to emigrantaand freightoirt and ! other oitizens of the United States, agaiudt I public polioy, and to tho great disgracu and detriment ol the public service, whereby WilJiam W. Belknap wan, as Bocretaiy of War. : frnUty of hih crimes and miwlemeanors in office". Article f our charges Belknap with ; ing rectuved trom Marsh Jarge sums of ' money for mul in consideration of his (Bolknap's) having appointed Evans to maintaiu u trading estabhshmcut at Fort 8il], and in cousiueration of his ! ing him therein, whereby he (Belknap) haU been guilty oí high crimes and ïnisdeuennors in office; This fiiticlo is accompanied by cventeen specificatioss, setting out various times and circumstauefs of payments of mouey. Article 5, after reciting tho samo general íacts, charges that Bolkuap was induced to mako tlii iippoJBtiiK'iit of Kvans by tlie influence and request of Alursli, aml that Evans paid to Marsh, iu consideration of such influenoe and request, divers large sums of money at var jone times, amouuting to about 812,lXX) a yen?, from ;he dato of such appointment to ;he 2d of March, 187G, au of which facts ;he said Belknap well know, yet said Belknap, in consideraron that he would permit said Evans to continue to mainLain said trading establishment, and that aucli paymcnts might cotitimie to be madeto said Marsh by said Evans, oorruptly received f rom said Marsh, eithcr tot his own (Belknap,s) usc or to be paid to the wife of said Belknnp, divers large sums of motiey at VariOns times, setting ont the dates and nmounts ; all of which nots and doiiigs wero while the said Belknap -was Secretary of War, and were liigh rnisdemeanors in office. The close of the document is as fol lows : And the House of Representativos, by protostation, saviiig to themeelvea the libcrtv of oxhibitlug at aay timo thereaf ter au y f tifther artiole of acdüaatiou oi' iiüpeachmeot against öaid William W. Uelkuap, lute Kocretary ol' War of the United State, and aluo of replying to his auBwets, which he ühall mako mito the articles heroin preferred against him, and of offering proo' to tho same and every part thereof, and to all and every othor articlo of accusation or impeachment which shall bo exhlbited by tliem ns tlio case shall renqire! do (Iemand thnt tlio said Williarn W. Belkimp may be put to answer for the high crime and misdomcanoia in office herein cliarged against him, and that snob proceedings, oxaininatioii". trial, and jndgmenta may bo thereupon had and givon ns may lie agreeablé to iaw and juatlce. The committee also report the föl'.owing : ,'. rulxeiï, That sevon managers bo appointed by ballot to conduct the impeachment oxhibited against William V. Bolknap, late Secretary of War of the United States.