Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-22
Credit MUbiIier.

Credit Mobilier.
The New York Times thus summarizes th
statements made before the Cong essiona
committee by the gentlemen whose names have
been mentioned as having been let into &
good thing by that benevolent Congressman
Cakes Ames:
Mr. Blaine was offered the stock, but de-
clined it, not entertaining. however. any ide5
that the proposal was directly or Indirectly q
corrupt one.
Mr.. Patterson agreed condtionally, neal
the close of 1867, TO take three thousand dol
lars, par value, OF stock of MIR. Ames, on the
assurance that 1t was a proper stock for a
Congressman to hold, and that no legislation
would be wanted. He iai ed to take the
stock, but believed he had perfect right to
told it--as much as he would have to hold
national bank stock.
Senator Henry Wilson, on the suggestion
of Mr.. Ames, invested 8 600 of his wife
money in Credit Nlobiiier stock, with the
assurance that the road would want no legis-
latIon on discovering that the Company was
IN difficulty, he - backed out of the bargain. -
Vice President Coliax agreed to take $4,000
OF the stock, on tie assurance that no le5isIa-
ton was required; he paid $500 on the
amount; learning that the Company was IL
vOlved in litigation, he Cancelled the agree
ment. and aiterward, when Mr.. Ames became
financially embarra ssed, Mr.. G pltax surren =
dered his claim on him for the $500 advanced.
Mr.. Scofeld, OF Pennsy WANNA, gave Mr.
Am6s ore thousand do lars in 1868 to pay
for ten share of Credit Mobilier stock, but
subsequently chose to take another stock in
stead
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, agreed to
take some sock of Mr.. Ames, but I" the mat
ter was dropptd;" he saw no more lmpro-
priety in a member of Congress buying that
stock than in buying flock OF sheep, anu
then voting on the tariff ON wool or wooden
goods
Mr.. Dawes, of Massachusetts, gave Mr..
Ames me thousand dollars early in Deem
Der, 1867, ply for ten shares Of CIedlt
MobIller stock; received one dividend oil
thirty five per cent; ltarned the Company
was involved in d law suit, and returned tat
divide ID, receiving from Ames his original
payment and interest.
Mr., Bingham, of Ohio, gave Mr.. Ames
two thousand dollars in January, 1865, 10
pay for twenty shares CreOi5 MubIIcr stock
at par. Mr.. Ames returning d receipt anu
the tame time dr. Bingham invested $3.50 10
ten shares Of another company OF MIR. Amos
lie settled tie Credit Mobilier matter III
January, 1870, and the other in the Sprn-
oil 1872, ard thinks be made about : 6 500 on
the two operations.
Mr. Gan field was offered stock, but declin-
ed it
Mr.. Bingham is the only memter of Con
gress who took and kept the stock and .justi-
fes the transaction. Others either declined
the offered good thing" at the outset or
got out of it as SOON as they heard of the law
suit, and the affilr became public. Senator
Wilson seems to be about the only person
who took the stock and afterward gave it up
to escape criticism. The others generally
insist that, whether they took the stock OF
not, they had right to take it.
We trust the people will not endorse this
congressional view of what kind of property
it is proper for members of Congress to deal
in and hold 1t may be true that no one OF
these persons was brlbed, that is, was con
scious of doing anything improper in taking
the stock, or voted differently fr ON what h.
would have voted if he had not profted by
the stock. 1t is true, also, that Cakes Ames
in distributing the stock, thought he was
securing favorable opinions in influential
quarters. He may have mIsjudged, but other
people have committed similar errors Of judg
ment and large mOneyed interests that simply
want to be let alone frequently show SINE
thing of the same bus mess turn as that shown
form of legal retainers to members of the
legislature, sometimes loan of money on
very easy terms, and sometimes a kind offeI
of stock paying enormous dividends 1t It
impossible to prove that votes are thus in
fuenced, inasmuch as no person knows what
the vote would otherwise have been. but
there are persons of a suspicious turn OF
mind who think they see a connection be-
tween such good things and favorable
consideration when lie ;islation is proposed
One thing we are sure Of When it i,
agreed that members Of Congress may legti-
mately and without reproach own stock in a
company or corporation whose profits are
largely Influenced by Congressional action,
there will soon come an euI of Congressional
honor or honesty, and legislation will cease
to be mindful of the public good and only
concern itself with schemes for putting inc
private pockets the plumber that, under the
form of law, will be stolen from the people