Senate tries and acquits former Secretary of War William W. Belknap

Background. William W. Belknap, the 30th U.S. Secretary of War, resigned in March 1876 amid the trader post scandal. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives unanimously voted to impeach him, drawing up five articles of impeachment. This marked the first time a cabinet secretary was impeached in U.S. history, setting the stage for a contentious Senate trial regarding his status as a private citizen.

Jurisdictional Vote. The Senate trial commenced in April 1876. Senators argued over whether the Senate had jurisdiction to try Belknap despite his resignation. The Senate ruled by a vote of 37–29 that it did have jurisdiction, allowing the trial to proceed despite Belknap's private status.

Acquittal. The Senate acquitted Belknap on the articles of impeachment. With 40 votes needed for conviction, 25 senators voted no on each of five counts, while the yes votes were 35, 36, 36, 36, and 37. This failure to reach the required two-thirds majority resulted in acquittal.

Resignation Context. Belknap resigned on March 2, 1876, handing Grant a one-sentence resignation letter. Grant accepted the resignation personally, writing a letter that was placed on a White House mantel at 10:20 a.m. This speedy acceptance undoubtedly saved him from conviction.