Senate Trial and Acquittal
Belknap was tried by the Senate, which ruled by a vote of 37-29 that it had jurisdiction despite the resignation. However, Belknap was subsequently acquitted of the charges when the vote for conviction fell short of the required two-thirds majority. Twenty-three of the senators who voted for Belknap's acquittal believed that the Senate did not have jurisdiction. President Grant's speedy acceptance of Belknap's resignation undoutedly saved Belknap from conviction. President Grant replaced Belknap with Alphonso Taft as Secretary of War.
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