The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-09-19
Congres.ionai Corruption.

for his hide and tallow. and expert
enough to steal the fat out of hoe
cake. They have pretty nearly done the
business for our poor old State AS
little moro remains to be stolen. and no.
thing is Immediately available, upon
which they may lay their hands. they
have assumed the part OF moral aud po-
litical reformers. Both parties now in
the field cry out against corruption,
both promise in their platforms retrench
ment, economy and reform, reduction
OF taxes, razeeing OF the public debt
and honesty in Office. This is ensy and
cheap. But prolific as they are in pro-
misses, for very obvious reasons, they do
not promise the vigorous criminal prose-
cution of the thieves. This would be
self.crimination, which it would be as
unreasonable TO expect rs admiration for
the code which would condemn them to
tue penitentiary or the gallows.
"No rogue e'er felt tho halter draw,
With good opinion Of the law"
We must not lay the fattering JUNCTION
to our souls, however, that VIC have a
monopoly of these expert and accom-
plished light-6ngered gentry. We have
only q colony of them here. There are
moro where they came from. A suit is
now pending before the Supreme Court
of Pennsylvania in which Col. Henry s.
McComb is plaintiff, and the "Credit
Mobilier of America" a moneyed corpo-
lation ch. rtered by that State, is defend
ant. McComb is one of the original
corporators of the Union Pacific Rail
way, and of the Credit Mobilier likewise.
He sues the company to recover the
value of $50 shares OF the Credit Mo-
hilier, which he claims rightfully belong
to him. 1.-The Union Pacific Railroad
Company, chartered by Congress, con-
structed and owns the Eastern division
of the line of railway. reaching from
Omaha to San Francisco. The ''Union
Pacific" portion is the larger, reaching
from Omaha to Ogden, near Salt Lake
City. The other ond belongs to the
Central Pacific Company.
Each of these corporations was libe
rally subsidized by Congress. 1t was
first granted the right of way through
the public lands, with authority to take
timber, stone, and other materials from
any portion of these lands free OF charge.
1t was next loaned the bonds of the
United States at the rate of $4,000,
$50. 900 and S48. 900 per mile, according
as the work was presumed to be moro or
loss difficult; and it was further subsi-
died by liberal grant OF public lands.
The Union Pacific Railway being thus
magniicently subsidized by the United
States, the Credit Mobilier was organized
as wheel within the wheel, a ring with
In the ring, for the purpose of building
the road and bagging the subsidies.
The road which the Credit Mobilier built
cost in the gross s25. .95O. 900. and the
values received by the Credit Mobilier
amounted to Sill. .6l8, ,512-the profits
of the Credit Mobilier reaching thus the
figure OF S95. .668. .5l2. After the profits
OF the Credit Mobilier had reached a
total of some 300 per cent. on the face OF
the stock, it became necessary, in order
to their further advance, that Congress
should release the Union Pacific Railway
from certain obligations and liabilities
imposed upon it by the Acts of July,
1862. and of July. 1864. constituting the
companies which made up the Union
Pacific.
Mr.. Oakes Ames, Radical member
of Congress from Massachusetts,, and
one of the directors of the Credit Mo.
bilier, was the agent chosen to effect this
desired result. We get some glimpse
into his plan of operations in Mr..
McCombs' testimony, taken before the
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, for the
recovery of the $50 shares which he
claims. He asserts and supports the
assertion by two letters and memoran-
dun, that Mr.. Oakes Amos Processes to
have used these $50 shares, and many
moro sharea aIso Of the Cradit Mol,iliar