New-York tribune., 1873-02-13

hard thing to say of man who has stood 80
high as he in popular esteem, but it is unhap-
PLY the precise truth.
His own testimony on Tuesday, and the cor
rOborative testimony presented In his behalf.
had but one object, to wit, to explain the de-
posit of 1900 in currency two days after
0akes Ames swears that he gave him check
for that amount to pay Credit Mobilier dividends.
To break down Ames, who, if Mr.. Colfax tells
truth, is perjurer and cOnspirator, he brought
the clerk who paid the "S. C.' check to con-
tradict what he had previously sworn to, and
testify to an impression that he paid Ames
on this check, and not COlfax. This was all,
and was unsupported. As an attempt to break
down witness nothing could be weaker. He
then accounted for the $1,000 deposit as fol-
lows: One thousand dollars was received in
single Government note from man in New
York, who has since died and left no memo
randum of the circumstance; nor can the
letter inclosing it be found. Conscious that
the testimony of a man who, upon his own
admissions, has been guilty of decelying the
public once at least, needs strong corrObora-
ton, he supplemented himself with the MEM
bers of his family who saw the note, bringing
one of them a distance of two or three thou
sand miles to make oath thereto. The other
$500 he accounted for as having been paid
him about that time by his step-fathcr, and
that gentleman, coming forward, testified to
the truth of the statement.
There was a world of talk beside that had
no relation with anything that sort of half
sentimental and half confidential flow of Ian
guage at which the Vice-President is so ready;
but this was the body of his defense, and
all of it. This was the case on which he
asked the impeachment of Oakes Ames, the
rejection of all the dreadful cham OF crcum-
stances that surrounded himself, and the ac-
ceptance of the theory of his innocence. Was
ever anything weakerf
If ia possible that 0akes Ames, with no
assignable motive and no possible end to serve
by it, has entered into conspiracy against
Mr.. Colfax; possible that he began 1t five years
ago, and has been entangling him III 1t by
notes. checks, receipts, memoranda, ~cp DAY
by day ever since; possible that into this con-
spiracy he has drawn bank officers, clerks,
government officials, and fortune itself; pos
sible that Mr. COiiax, after evadlng the truth
in his public utterance at South Bend, Is still
n paragon of truth and honor All these things
NAV be. If they are, Mr.. COlfaX had but one
course to pursue. He is not so weak but that
he can appreciate the weight and force of
the circumstances that make up the case
against him. He must know that in all
the fact and inference and argument he can
bring. there is no possibility OF his making
Roadway against such an adverse tide. The
case is unquestionably against him. Common
sense. it seems would teach him to cease
struggling, and accept kindly the inevitable
buffetings of unfriendly fate. An honest man
may rest content in his own consciousness of
rectitude, however circumstances may misrep-
resent and men belle him. Even in such sore
stress as this of the President, an honest
man might say: "This case is too strong
"against me- | recognize the fact. | make
"nO explanation or defense, for | see that the
chest | can make would be insufficient. ]
"simply say / am not guilty of the things
charged, and for the truth of my denial offer
"my good name" And who shall say that
even Schuyler Colfax might not have breasted
all the adverse tide of this investigation with
such an appeal to his unsullied honor and
good name had he not made the fatal mistake
of deceiving the people at South Bend
Mr.. Colfaxs great mistakes III this business
have been five. First, in taking the stock
second in giving it back; third, in denying
all knowledge of it fourth, in hurryng before
the Committee to make explanations under
oath fifth, in reappearng with additional ex-
planations And now he makes another when
ever he opens his mouth upon the subject