Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-12-04
President and to inform him that the House

President and to inform him that the House
was in session and ready to receive any COM
munication he might have to make.
General Banks offered his resignation as
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign AT
fairs, but the House by vote 7j TO 59retnseo
to accept it.
Mr.. Dawes offered resolutions Of respect
to the memory of Mr.. Greeley, and Mr.. COX
followed in speech on ;hem. are resoiu-
tions were unanimously ADOPTED
Sneaker Blaine then called MIR. Cox TO the
chair and took the floor to offer resolution
/ for the appointment of a committee OF five 10
| investigate the charges against him (Blane)
| in connection with the Credit Mobilier mat
ter.
Mr.. Blaine said Mr.. Speaker, I rise to q.
question of the highest privilege; one that
concerns the integrity of the members of the
House and the honor of the House Itself.
During The late Presidential campaign, there
was wide spread accusation to the effect that
members of Congress had been bribed by
presents of stock in the Credit Mobilier, TO
perform certain legislative acts for the bene-
fit Of the Union Pacific Railroad. The per-
sons thus charged with crime are, or have
been in high public station, one OF them is
Vice President Of the United States; another
Vice President elect; still another Secretary
of the Treasury, and three, senators OF the
United States are Included, Messrs. Bayard,
Fowler and Patterson. In this House the
accusation includes the chairman OF the Ways
and Means, Mr. Dawes; the chairman Of APP
preparations, Mr.. Garfield; the chairman OF
the Committee on the Civil Service reform,
Mr.. Kelley; the chairman of the House Oh
Naval Committee, Mr. Seofield; the chair
man of the Judiciary, Mr., Bingham an emf =
nent member of the Committee OF Ways and
Means, Mr.. Brooks and an ex-member from
the State of Pennsylvania, Mr.. Bayer; apd it
includes the Speaker Of the House, who now
occupies the floor.
A these gentlemen are alleged to have
received presents Of stock in the Credit Mo-
bilier from the hands Of Cakes Ames, rep
resentatiye from acknowledgement Of
stock which were in the nature of brides.
This grave accusation includes men of both
political parties holding, as | have already
said, eminent public stations.
The charge of bribery of members is one
of the gravest that any legislative body is
ever called upon to consider, and one that
demands prompt, thorough and impartial
inve stigation. ! have taken the floor, there
fore, for the purpose Of moving that select
committee he appointed to investigate these
charges and to ascertain whether they be true
or false Unwilling of course to appoint a
which my name is included, l have called
you to the Chair to perform that duty. have
selected you because you are political OPP
ponent, held In high honor, both intha House
and in the country, and when on Saturday
last advised you that | should ask this SER
vice, placed upon you but one restriction in
appointing them, and that was, that it should
not contain majority of my political friends,
and this request is candidly concurred in by
the members Of this House. submit the fol-
lowing resolutions. and unless some gentle
man desire to speak, will call the previous
question
WHEREAS, Accusations have been made in
the public press, founded on the alleged let
tiers OF Cakes Ames, a representative from
Massachusetts, and upon the affidavit of Hen
~ McCobb, a citizen Of Wilmington, in the
State of Delaware, to the effect that members
of this House were brioed by Cakes Ames to
perform certain legislative acts for the Union
Pacific Railroad Company, by presents Of
stock in the Credit Mobiier of America, Or
by presents of valuable character derived
therefrom; therefore
RESOLVED, That q special committee of
five members be appointed by the Speaker
pro tempore, whose duty it shall be to inves-
iigate aud ascertain whether any member of
this House was bribed by Cakes Ames or any
person or corporation, in any matter touching
his legislative duty, and that the committee
be authorized to send for persons and papers
Mr. Archer (democrat,) OF Maryland,
hoped that the resolution would he adopted.
The question had already been tried by
higher tribunal than the House. The Amer
lean people had passed upon it.
Mr.. Randall (democrat,) of Pennsylvania,
hoped the resolution would be adopted with
unanmity. and lie trusted that in the language
of the Speaker the investigation would be
full, thorough ana searching. Less than that
it would not meet the expectations and re-
quirements of the American people. There
had been dark cloud of scandal raised over
the House and it was due to those members
who had never been involved in such pro-
ceedings that their character should be above
suspicion.
Mr.. Dawes (republican,) of Massachusetts,
warmly advocated the resolution passed.