democratic congressman hiester clymer investigated belknap s war department
on february 29, 1876 rumors belknap receiving profits traderships reached representative hiester clymer, chairman of committee on expenditures in department of war. in response, clymer launched investigation war department. although clymer , belknap friends , had been college roommates, clymer opposed republican reconstruction. during belknap s tenure, army used in combination justice department prosecute ku klux klan, policy opposed democrats. caleb p. marsh testified clymer committee belknap had taken fort sill tradership profit payments part of partnership agreement between marsh , john s. evans. on march 1, belknap , counsel went before clymer s committee, belknap declined testify. on morning of march 2, treasury secretary benjamin bristow told president grant of belknap s impending impeachment. in white house meeting afterwards, grant asked belknap s resignation. move effort forestall pending impeachment proceedings; resigning first, belknap argue congress had no authority, since no longer in office. grant accepted belknap s resignation @ 10:20 a.m. clymer s committee informed @ 11:00 a.m. although belknap s resignation caused great commotion among house members, did not prevent action clymer committee. committee unanimously passed resolutions impeach belknap , drew 5 articles of impeachment sent senate. belknap, private citizen, impeached unanimous vote of house of representatives. speaker of house michael c. kerr wrote senate belknap resigned intent evade proceedings of impeachment against him. belknap s case constitutionally unprecedented , serve reference 9 other civilian officials resignations before trial, including president richard nixon.
on march 29 , april 4, 1876, george custer testified before clymer committee, continued gather evidence senate trial. custer s testimony national media sensation because accused both grant s brother , secretary of war of corruption. although belknap had resigned, had many political allies in washington d.c., including grant. custer had arrested grant s son fred, army officer, on charge of drunkenness. result of incident , testimony clymer committee, custer incurred grant s displeasure. took more month custer resolve situation , obtain grant s permission return duty , lead expedition culminated battle of little bighorn.
upon belknap s sudden resignation in march, grant had hastily ask secretary of navy george m. robeson run war department ad interum, lasted week. grant appointed alphonso taft secretary of war; taft attorney , former judge; unfamiliar military matters, reluctantly agreed serve in order stabilize war department, , grant promised nominate him later another, more suitable position. in may, grant kept word when created vacancy in attorney general s post naming incumbent, edwards pierrepont, serve minister england; appointed taft serve attorney general, , j. donald cameron succeed taft secretary of war.
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