The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-06
Ames may be able to produce from the recesses
o his capacious pockets.

his capacious pockets.
GARFIELD, KELLEY AND BROOKS.
II would seem that the others would have taken
warning from the late OF two sucn distinguished
men as Patterson and Colfax, but some OF tnem
had already gone too far to retreat Ihis was
especially the with Garfield, Kelley ana brooKs
Garfield and Kelley denied ever having owned any
Credit M0ber stock, in the same way that fatter-
son and Colax had denied its ownership, ana
affected to regard the dividends they had received
from Ames merely as loans. The stories are the
very simplicity offasehood, and no sensible per-
sons in Washington place any reliance upon
them. 1t was an impertinence to expect
people to believe such absurd tales. Garheld's
friends are laboring industr.ously to keep CON-
mcnts on his conduct out of the press, and have
succeeded in obtaining 'let up for him. But
even the people who had most regard for him
year age are ashamed that he should be chairman
Of the Committee on Appropriat .ons, and he feels
his disgrace acutey that it units him for caring
for his bills Kelley. however. shows few or no
computations. He is man of sublime impudence
and extraordinary cheek but these cannot save
him this time. He was among those who received
that fashionable" 1929, and even when he affected
to pay back the money to Ames he was content
that Ames' tearing his check in two and handing 1t
10 him again should be considered q ''settle-
ment." These are the only republicans who have
had differences with Ames, and every one OF them
has como out Of the contest thoroughly injured In
reputation as to be beyond recovery. James Brooks
by pursuing like course, met with like fate for
while his differed from tho others in detail and
he was free from the hate OF Cakes Ames, his guilt
was as certain, and General Butler was his Nemesis
Butler had long waited for an opportunity to repay
Brooks denunciations Of him as ''gold stealer"
duv eha do IsOr
others" after the name OF Cakes Ames in Blaine's
resolution he caught his old enemy.
EXAMPLES OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
1 passed the Hon. James F. Wilson in the avenue
this morning, and he seemed as merry as mud
lark. There Is ne reason why he should not be
happy, for he had the impudence to tell The CON-
mttee in substance that he got the stock and the
dividends and liked the transaction. Bing-
ham and Sconeld and some others put
IN pleas OF confession, but tried to soften
the extreme hardness of their lot by the allega
lions that they had returned their stock. Perhaps
they have done SO, but people are apt to Judge
them from severer standard than they like to be
judged by. A grave doubt fingers in the MIND as
to whether the return of the stock is not only q
mere ruse, as was the case with Kelley and that
Ames Is their 'trustec." 1t Is impossible, there
fore, to acquit them entirely of evil intention.
lucy ought CO have kuOWu rs Hleu VI DuSucSS JndL
stock which paid In so short time dividend Of
1000 per cent derived its profits from fraud and
members OF Congress they should have known
that 1t was the government which was being de-
irauded. Unless they knew these things they were
not nt Tor their places, and if they knew them they
were equally unnt Yet there is generally forgive
ness for those who confess their faults while the
''unco guide" who deny their crimes to the last are
the more severely punished. lie we'll stuck to is
only as good as the truth when IL has the appear
of truth. The'lies in the Credit Mobler cases
have been recognized lies all through the 1nves
tigatiOn. People in washington talk about this or
that ''lie" OF Colfax or Patterson or Dawes or
Kelley or Garfield as mere matters ofcourse, and
if it agreed that it lie. Indeed the agree
ment Is almost universal, and this is what makes
the sins of these men bitter and their fall ire
trievable. Dawes loses much by his downfall, for
If he is not sent to the Senate in Wilson'S place
an endorsement of his innocence nobody will
make any bunders about his guilt hereafter. Gar
field feels his loss to be greater even, for all his
friends are asking for kindlier judgment on his
acts on the ground that he is young ana bril-
liant But COlfax loses most of all. He had the
Presidency in view four years hence, but now he
can never be President, and his lot is made sadder
still by the fact tnat though he formerly had troops
OF friends most of them have turned against him.
And then from every tongue comes the rejection,
wrong in principle but correct in fact that II they
had only ''owned up" their sins would soon have
been forgotten. This can bring no consolation to
them, for even II they had "owned up' the confess
sion would have tortured them as it is torturing
others whom we are apt to regard as forgiven
already; for is better not to sin at all than to sin
and be absoved.
THE COMMITTEES REPORT AND PROBABLE RECON-
MENDATIONS.
The report OF the committee is q matter Of mere
conjecture The bold ana useful thing to be done
would be to bring the inquiry to close and recon-
mend the expulsion of every member OF Congress
implicated in the frauds. But this is course de-
mandlng too much courage from Judge Poland and
his colleagues. Courage is the element which Is
wanted in this crisis Perhaps the most that will
be done by the majority will be to report the test
mony to the House without any expression of
opinion whatever. Even this may be done so late
In the session that action upon 1t will be impossi-
BILE. The only thing to prevent such feeble
course Is the general sentiment against bribery
ana corruption awakened by the investigation. 1t
Is unsafe for the republican party to pass these
offences by in silence, and to whitewash them is
equally dangerous. So the character Of the report
has not been determined upon; but further de-
velopments and more thorough understanding of
public feeling can alone make 1t what 1t ought to be.
minority report from Mr.. Merrick, OF Maryland, II
from nobody else, Is expected by the democratic
side Of the House. but 1t is uncertain whether he
will report resolution Of expulsion. II he does
the sense OF the House upon the question must be
tested. In that case the resignation Of the men,
bers who took cakes Ames' stock will be the only
compromise; for the feeling in the House Is very
strong that something decisive must be done to
onneaae the offended dignity and honor of the
Republic and prove to errlng statesmen that they
cannot commit crime with impunity.