The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-09-19
BRIBERY I'M HIGH PLACES.
Corruption In Comgress-----u'hc
Chuirmen OF Important Come
mtttees EsrIbed with
RatIrORd ahmrea.
From tho New York sun.
PnILADELPHIA, September 3. 1872.

testimony accom- pHnying this need no cc-
planatorY introduction. It D. the most
damaging exhibition OF official and private
villainy and corruption ever laid bare to
the gaze of the world. The Nice-Presideut
OF the United States, the Speaker OF the
House OF Representative, the chosen cam
didate OF great party for the second high
est Office In the gilt Of the people. thc Chair
men OF almost every Inn Important committee
In the House Of ReprVseutatives--ai of
them proven by irretutable evidence, TO
nave been bribed. Surely, after this expo
sure, no man who has any respect for the
honor OF his country-any love for our iu-
stituti0ns-wM by his vote aid 10 maintain
these men Ia place and power. 10 there
was room for doubt Ia this case, Tor ono
would be Ian favor OF giving these men the
benefit Of IL, for Il Is almost beyond belief
that our public men could have fallen 30
SO low. But there rs no escaping the con-
clnson that they are Ruilty.
The public has long known, in n vague
sort OF way, that the Union Pacific Rail-
road was gigantic steal. The subsidies Boo
bonds alone given IL 10y the Government
were sufficient 10 build aud equip thc road.
Yet, in addition TO this Congress passed hu
act allowing the Company 90 issue first
mortgage bonds, and compelling thC Gov
eminent TO accept a second mortgage us See
curity for the millions or bonds guaranteed
by it, Nor was this all. Tens ui millions
Of acres Of the public domain were thrown
in as another nice bcqucst tu this corpora
ton. The evidence printed below shows
into whose hands all thi. plumber tel 5 how
IL enriched favored few. who still coutlu-
ne to grow richer and richer as the value of
the land lying along the line of the road are
thrown upon the market.
A half dozen men, By buying up the
Pennsy lvania Fiscal Agency, aud changing
its name 20 the Credit MObiher of America,
got control of the Union Pacific Railroad,
and made millions upon millions of dollars
i'm building and equipping &C.. They still
control II, and as Mr.. McCo says below,
the stockholders outside the Credit Mobilicr
of America "have not aud never viii receive
a cent of dividend" The history OF the
suit, which Is the means OF giving this cN-
posture TO the public, Is somewhat curious.
II seems that Henry =. McCombs' who hhs
filed bill in equity In the supreme Court
of Pennsylvania against the Credit Mobt-
Her, was one OF the original cOrpOrutOrs OF
the Union Pacific Railroad Company us
well as one Of the favored few who got into
the inside ring. lie was an active muuipu-
latOr Of both the railroad company and the
Credit MObiier and, a. will bee seen by his
testimony, lac made piles ct money out of
both. But some of his good friends, 10
seems, were not willing that Dee should have
all that rlghtfully belonged 90 him. lie had
subscribed for $50 shnTes-S2lO 600 worth
of the stock Of the Credit Mohilier OF
America, for one III. G.. kauL then of Rich
mOnd, Virginia, now OF Washington, ID. g..
He gave the draft on FAINT 20 the Treasurer
of the company In payment of his Stock
but FAINT failed 10 honor the draft and thus
threw the load on McCombs. Mr. Mctombs
knew that there was big thing iu DO, and
he had the cash to spare, so he agreed 90
take Fant's stock. But there was some diff
ticulty ut the time about nm imperfect pow
er of attorney from FAINT, and when that
was corrected the President was out West
and there were no certificates signed. be-
fore the President returned nc had been dee
posed by another faction headed by Amos,
and the stock had become so valuable chat
they determined to cheat McCOmbs out Of
his stock. He demanded 10 time and again,
but the Amcs faction would NOT lct him
have IL. TIE then threatened 90 bring sut.
THIS made them trcmblc and promise fair,
but never brought them 10 terms. They cN-
planned To him that 10 had been necessary 90
use all Of his two hundred and huy shares,
and great deal more, 10 keep certain mem-
bers Of Congress right, and told him that
he had been benefited thereby. aud ought
to bear his proportion Of the loss. This cX-
PLANTATION seems only 20 have Increased
McCombs' determination 20 force them tO
settle with him. He had adroitly drawn
two letters and several verbal statements
from Cakes Amcs, explaining how he had
distributed the stock among the prominent
members of Congress and hc determined
To use this Information t0 bring Amps aul
his faction, who are still controlling che
company, TO terms. Accordingly, iu 1869,
he fled his bill i'm equity iu Che supreme
Court of Pennsylvania.
THE only portion OF this testimony for
which we have room is the tOllowiuKI:
Qnestion-Turn to the first page u thHt
! book IN relation 10 Transaction. with fUe
| Union Pacific Railroad stock Answer
That is on page 1876, which has been already
produced and referred 10, nor are there amy
other entries in this book Gao regard to thc
| Union Pacific Railroad Company stock
other than those produced and referred tO.
WHERE ARR THE LErrEHs2
QuestiOn-On "A former day OF your exam
inatiOn you referred 10 "a letter or letters
written BY Cakes Ames. i have never Seem
either Of those letters or any such letter.
have been shown "a letter purpOrting to be "a
copy Of one. Have you got those letters
here? Answer-They will Dee here iu II few
minutes. Ny clerk has them, aud had posi-
a. I.t ia led.