During the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877), several scandals and instances of corruption tarnished his administration. Some of the most notable examples include:
The Belknap Impeachment Scandal (1876)
William W. Belknap, Grant's Secretary of War, was involved in a scandal that led to his impeachment.
Belknap was accused of taking bribes from Indian trading post operators in exchange for granting them lucrative contracts to trade with Native American reservations.
When the scandal broke, Belknap resigned in disgrace in 1876, but the House of Representatives still impeached him. The Senate acquitted him despite the strong evidence of corruption.
During Andrew Jackson’s presidency (1829–1837), corruption and cronyism were significant concerns, though they often stemmed from his patronage system rather than outright financial fraud. Here are some of the most notable examples:
The "Indian Removal" and Land Speculation
The Indian Removal Act (1830), one of Jackson’s most controversial policies, forced Native American tribes to cede their lands and relocate westward. While Jackson justified this as a means to open land for white settlers, it benefited land speculators, including some of Jackson’s closest allies.
Certain government officials, land companies, and private investors took advantage of the forced removal by acquiring valuable lands at low prices before selling them at inflated rates.
