Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-09-20
THE GREATEST BRIBERY OF THE AGE
An Attempt to Cover their Tracks.

After Publishing Speaker Blains's reply
to the Oakes Ames statement In regard to
Blsine's alleged ownership of Pacific Rail-
road stock, the New York Sun says
"This will not answer The allegation
that Mr. Blaine was bribed with Credit Mo-
bilier stock is made as part of important
legal proceedings commenced in January,
1869, more than three years ago, when there
was no election pending. 1t is sworn to by
one Of the prominent members of the Cred
1t Mobilier, and it is supported by the writ
ten and oral statements of Cakes Ames, one
Of Mr.. Blaine's conspicuous friends and
supporters in the House of Representatives.
This answer of Blaine's is so absurd
that il almost amounts to q confession.
Why dosen't he produce q corrobatiye sff-
davit from Oakss Amss If he wishes his de-
uisl to be believed?
" Mr.. Blaine vas q poor man when he be.
came . member of Congress in 1864. He
is now a millionaire"
Mr.. Henry 1. Dawes, says ''neiihsr Cakes
Ames. nor any other man, dead or alive, ev-
Ger gave me, directly or indirectly, . penny
"of the stock of the Credit Mobilier,' or
of any other corporation in this world"
The N. Y. Tribune publishes his letter
and says:
Gentlemen this will not do. Mr. Cakes
Ames, long representative in Congress
from Massachusetts and reputed a man of
vast wealth, wrote that he had placed
quantity of the stock of this Credit MObil-
Ter, whereof he was Q master mind, among
" Congressman, where it would do most
"good." His letter, giving the scandalous
details Of this wholesale bribery in his own
handwriting, was produced in the trial, iden.
tilted, sworn to, and otherwise confirmed"
The n Y. World also publishes the de-
male Of Blaine and Dawes, and says;
One of the persons branded by Mr.. Cakes
Ames as having been bribed by him to do
his bidding in behalf of the Credit Mobilier
of America, Mr.. Dawes, of Massachusetts,,
has at last found heart of grace to speak up
in his own behalf. MIR. Dawes's denial is
less crafty and evasive than that of Mr..
Blaine, but it ia not quite so peremptory
and exact as could be wished. He says
that he never received either "from Mr..
0aASe 1Ah.SS VA MN az OtheE man. uHcCtl1
or indirectly, one penny of the stock of the
Credit Mobilier"
Mr.. Cakes Ames, it will remembered
does no, state in so many words that he gave
either to Mr.. Dawes or to any of the per
sons whom he alleges that he bribed "stocE
of the Credit MobiIier." What he states i,
that he used a number of shares Of thai
stock "where it would DO most good" anG
of course in the way most agreeable to the
persons by whose help he intended thai
good to be done.
The Chicago Tribune publishes an sx
haustive history OF the law suit by which
this great scandal was brought 10 light L
says:
We still hope that Schuyler Colfax 10 IN
stained BY this Credit Mobilier scandal, bu
we leave him, as well as the others. to speal
for themselves. We would rather they
should all be shown innocent than guilty
| but We submit that silence will not cles
them. 1t is alleged that Dawes and Gar
| field have, in!privsts conversation, denieC
their shares in the Credit Mobilier trsnssn
ton. When they publish their own denials
We shall make room for them in our col
umns as soon as received, together with thu
other letter from Ames TO MComb, when i
comes 10 the light. Meanwhile, had MI
| Oaks Ames set out 10 prove that the respect
able leaders of the Grant party all had thei
price, and that it in no case rose above $40
600, he could not have set about his wor
more logically.