Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-02-21
Report of the Investigating Committee.

| The report and recommendations of Judge
! Poland's committee, who have been investi-
eating the Credit Mobilier scandals, which
were submitted tothe House of Representatives
! yesterday, are substantially wha. the public
had by previous rumors, been led to expect
Resolutions are offered for the expulsion of
Messrs. Cakes Ames, of Massachusetts,, and
James Brooks, of New York. The other
members implicated are dismissed with mild
| censure. AS to those persons over whom the
House has no NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and those
who have ceased 10 be MEMBERSHIP commit
tee have no recommendations 10 make. The
evidence in regard TO the former has already
been transmitted to the Senate, by order of
the House, for such action as that body may
| see TIT to take. In regard to Vice President
| Colfax, the most prominent of all who had
dealings with Mr.. Ames, and ''took stockn
| in the Credit Mobier, the report is sngulary
silent. lie is neither acquitted nor condemned
out ms case is left, apparently, to be passed
upon by the public in the light of the testimo-
ny already published. The grounds of the
distinction which the committee draw between
the cases of the two members singled out for
expulsion and the Others whose cases have been
Investigated appear to consist in the guilty
knowledge which the former had of the rela-
tons between the Union Pacific railway and
the Credit Mobilier, of the enormous profits
which the latter concern was making, and the
consequent interest Of those concerned in it
management, or expecting to share in its
profits, in STAYING off investigation and in de-
feating unfavorable legislation. Cakes Ames'
special guilt is, of course, made TO consist in
the active part taken by him Sin corrupting
and endeavoring to corrupt bis colleagues. -
The committee get over the legal difficulty as
to the power of the present Congress 10 punish
member for acts done during former Con-
gress by showing that Cakes Ames is still the
holder of Credit Mobier stock, as trustee, for
members of both houses of Congress and that
bis attempt to bride them with offers of that
| stock and dividends is continuous ofense
As to Messrs. Dawes, Bingham, Scofeld and
Kelley, the committee have no severer criti-
cism TO offer than that they were seeking Ga
good investment and were not sufficiently
careful TO see what they were getting. They
are supposed to have been aware of the enor-
nous dividends which they were to receive,
or of the real relations Of the Credi. Mobilier
to the railway company. Cakes Ames was
careful not to promise them more than good
ten per cent. paying investment, and to qniet
their scruples with the assurance that there
was nothing in fheir ownership Of the stock to
! interfere with their duties as members of Con-
| gress. Why, if such was the case was there
so much secrecy about the matter, or why the
members referred to should not have been will
ling TO have the stock transferred into their
own names and openly acknowledge its own
ership, the committee do not explain yet it is
this very circumstance Of secrecy and mystery
which betrays the consciousness of wrong
doing on the part Of all these so-called purcha-
sers OF the stock, and furnishes one Of the
strongest pieces of evidence against them.
| As 10 Cakes Ames's motive and object in the
whole affair, the committee furnish no new
light; indeed, after the publication of the Nc
Comb letters there was nothing more TO be
said upon that head Mr. Brooks case is dis.
tnguisbed from that of his colleagues by the
fact that he was q government director in the
railway company, precuded from owning
stock, and by his relations with Dr. Durant
which, in the judgment Of the Committee, af-
feet him with tie equity knowledge of
which in the other cases (that of Ames excep-
ted the committee find no proof The use of
the name OF his son-in law, Mr.. Nelson, by
Brooks, the committee regard as mere cover
BY many persons the report and its recommen-
dalions will be viewed in the light ola ''com-
promise" verdict, and Messrs. Ames and
Brooks as being made the ''scapcgoats' for
others not so bold, yet not less guilty than
themselves.
The resolutions Of expulsion are likely 10
give rise TO considerable discussion and their
adoption is considered by no means certain
In former Congress, in 1857, resolutions ex-
Gilbert, of New York, for corrupt practices
in eavoring TO procure the passage of the
Des Moines land grant, were anticipated by
the resignation of these WORTHLESS. In the same
Congress Francis P. Edwards, of New York.
who had made corrupt proposition to a fell
ow-member, also escaped expulsion by re-
signing. still later was that of Senate.
Simmons, of Rhode Island, during the war;
who also resigned to avoid expulsion. 1t re-
mains TO be seen whether any of The parties
involved in the present scandal will follow
their example. Those whose terms are on the
point of expiring could do so without making
much of a sacri6ce.-BaIto. San, goth.
1t seems hard that Messrs Ames and Brooks
should be made the scapegoats to bear the sins
of the other swindlers in the Credit Mobilier-
but the withdrawing done for the others will
not wipe out the stigma. They all leave with
damaged regulations Mr. Colfax included.
THE New POSTAGE LAw.-The new postage