New-York tribune., 1873-03-01
OAKES AMES A BUSINESS MAN
CREDIT MoBILIER A JUDICIOUS INVEST
MENT.

OBLIGE HIS FRIENDS IN CON"hboo'
To the Editor Of TIE Trfbwne
SIR: One of the most striking of Mr Carlyies
latter day pamphlets was on Hudson, the Rail-
wav King Hudson was a short fat man. and his
little arms stuck out at right angles frcm his
nodv. He was an Idol. Everybody went to nun
for stock and scrip Everybody sought his acquaint
ance a. the royal road to2wealth The nobility
tbronged his doors. The Archbishop of Canterbury
baptized his babies. All were made rich VINO re-
ceived his kingly benediction. Till one day things
want 10 everlasting smash, and Hudson was oDliged
TO leave England. This was near thirty years ago.
Oaxes Ames is our Hudson. with difference HUDSON
was an adventurer from the start. Oake5 Ames was
asubstantial citizen. Hudson involved everybody IN
ruin. His enterprises were left incomplete. Oakes
Ames successfully accomplished the great WORK OF
modern times lie made no man poorer, but many
men richer He raised the reputation OF American
enterprise by an hercuean endeayor, TO whlch IL"
in any age or country are equal.
Now Mr.. Oakes Ames is put on trial for his mcthod
The merits OF his performance are put aside as
not gerrnane to the issue. The question is how did
he do itf Whose bones did he grind to make him
breadi SO far as the investigation has proceeueu
Oakes Ames still stands robust citizen, man OF
large body and large brains. upright and hrm IN DIS
shoes. He was man of money when he commenced
great risks. He did his work well. He aimed to
cheat nobody; but he wanted a profit on his
labors Well, we suspect there is nothing unusual
in that. So far 80 good. Like prudent COM
mander. Oakes Ames not only wanted to achieve
success on his main line of march, but he wished TO
secure his retreat. And it is the measures he took
TO this end which have provoked criticism and led
TO censure, and are the subject of investigation.
The Pacific Railroad was a child of Congress and
fayorite of Congress, and, although it had got lts
charter and got its grants before Mr. OakcS AHeS
undertook tho making of it, still. as it was the OIL
spring of that body and amenable TO IL ana 10 IL
only it was requisite and necessary 1t shoud coh-
tinue to be its favOrite. Oakes Ames knew tnis'
Everybody of sense knew it. To say the ROAD re-
qured no more legislation and, therefore, there was
no need TO throw an anchor to windward III Con-
gress is an inadequate expression OF the 1acts Oh te
situation II is not affirmative legislation only that
is needed in such cases il IS guaranty against ao-
verse and injurious en9ctmentS. OakeS Ames Sought
this guard by making friends in Congress. He dis
tributcd his Credit Mobilior stock accordingly He
did il with this view. He said he wished to put it
where it would do the concern the most good.
These arc the skeleton facts of the case, about
which there can be no dispute. They are the bones
of the transaction and necessarily give it Its shape
Iation we may sec it at glance Now there are just
two parties to the transaction. These are Oakes
Ames and the members of Congress upon whom he
conferred his favors.
Let rs look at the case Of each separately. We
repeat that Mr. Oa1es Ames was a robust citizen en-
gagged in a great work. He was a fair-minded man
and he'd ambitious sentiments. he liked to boss a
tremendous job, and have members of Congress look
mn TO him He loved TO stride and see them follow
There was something very human in all this, Was
il wickedl Not in itself. surely. Oakes Ames car
ried on his arm gigantic basket and he fed out to
members the crumbs which fell from it, Should not
Oakes Ames do this thing 1t pleased the members
and it pleased Oakes Amcs. There was Diana De-
nenity on one sde there was deference and graft
tude on the other. Oakes Ames was about his buSi-
ness Feeding members, by the way, was part OF
his enterprise He took this into account when he
bee,n. His scheme was unit. What he did was
by deliberate design It was all preordained by him.
He did not heedlessy plunge into tight places
and. like modern u. s. Senators, undertake
TO buy himself through. 1t Is one of the
harmonies of this transaction, one OF its Astounding
merits, one of the things which illustrate the
robustness of Oakes Ames, and puts the stamp OF
genius upon his efforts, that he was never thrown
hack ON the line of retreat which he had
were never called into active service. In this Wow
the charges against Oakes Ames of corrupting MEM
hers of Congress seem to fade They got some
pleasing gratuties, but they never gave recon-
pense If there was d purchase there was no de-
livery. Oakes Ames will say those were bis friends,
and he would treat his friends well. He made his
presenls and went forth into the wilderness, saying
sm meet me on my return" But he never came back.
He penetrated his distractions; he went through
all obstacles and came safely out on the other side
He succeeded. He circumnavigated his globe. He
went over his Matterhorn i'll triumph His friends
listened for his returning footsteps, If haply he
might need their aid. That football was never heard
All the way then, Oakes Ames has been master of
the situation. He has been moro than Caesar. He
has never had to say even. Help, Cassius, or
sinkp He has relied on his own lifc-preservers, and
they have tloated him out on to dry land lie has
fought his own battles. During the action he has
never had occasion to call upon tender or an ally
He has done all without the aid OF a single sub
sidized Hessian. Is MT this genuine manhoodf I
Is MT this robust citizenship standing firm and up
right in its shoesf This ia Oakes Ames Is it for
this that we shall hang this man ! Nay, verify
How is it with his Congressional friends, the little
tenders to his fleet that he prepared hut never used
They have all told their stories. They are. very
much alike; rather painful than wicked: made the
WORSE from prevaricati0n and suppression OF the
truth at the outset. The charges upon them came
suddenly in the heats Of Presidential canvass, and
most of them plumply c0ntradicted the facts; and
when they did not contradict, suppressed them. 1t
il part of tho duty of witness on the stand
to tell not only the truth but to tell the whole truth
Nobody will pretend that the implicated members
did this. They denied their Master az the start.
We never knew this man, was tBeir uniform cry.
But now the heats have abated and the election is
over they confess thoy did know him. but declare
there has been no harm in the acquaintance. This
il the worst feature in the case 1t is bad because of
its implications. II denotes low tone 1t shows