The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-01-21
COMMENTS CT THE rREss--ABUsE OF
M'coMB NOT A SUFFICIENT vINDICATIoN.
From the Philadelphia Press, adm. Rep,l

MCOMB NOT A SUFFICIENT gvINDICATIoN.
sFrom the Philadelphia Press, tAd1n. Rep,]
One grave mistake in regard to the
Credit Mobiiiergfh Congress, that of
holding secret sessions of the Commit
tee TO investigate it, having been cor
reeted, we hope that those who are di.
reetly interested viii not commit anoth-
ef BY attempting to blacken the reputa-
ii IN of Col. Henry S McComb of Del
aware. We have already spoken OF
Gel: McComb's high standing, but the
TACT that deserves to he remembered by
his ASSISTANTS is that be did not yolun.
tafily reveal the damaging record ol
Mr.. Oakts Ames of Boston. In the
pursuits of his rights. and in obedience
to the demands of the attorney of his
ASSISTANTS, he produced what Mr. Ames
wrote TO him when they were friends
1t cannot, therefore, serve the causes OF
the honorable Congressmen who have
fallen under suspicion to destroy the
character of Col. McComh. We are
anxious to believe all that tley say oi
themselves is true, though their positive
contradictions Of their & st denisls by
their later testimony present a suhjec,
for curious commentary Mr. Ames is
in most awkward quaFdary. He says
in his letter to the people of the IId
Congress District of Massachusetts, be
fore the November election, that "al
the executive officers of The Company
and several of its largest stockholders
including myself, hare answered in sand
suit, long since, under oath, that tbs
charges were utterly false; that not 1
single share OF the stock of that com
pany was ever given to any member o
Congress, directly or indirectly, by N.
or any one else, to my knowledge.
now reiterate and reatiirm the statemeat
with the further declaration that ! neve
gave share of stock Of that or any
other company, directly or indirectly
to any member of Congress-" ]" tE''s'a,'
Now. Mr. Ames's testimony befor,
the Committee Of investigation, which
came out on Tuesday, he swears that b,
intended to '.give it (Sluck) 10 fou
from Massachusetts,; athis stock wa
given to me to distribute as / saw fit !
II mil ght have mentioned names that
intended to give stock to, as I stated il
the fore part of the letter names of per
sons ] intended to give stock to-"
is not necessary to enlarge upon thi
extraordinary contradiction, nor to re
peat that the first denials of some q
those implicated in taking the stocl
have since been strangely and awkward
~ qualified. -
We do not understand Col. McComl
as intending TO 90 injustice to any mem
her of Congress. He was seeking 70
his rights. Hsving fairly purchase,
some hundred shares Of stock. whicl
never were delivered to him, he si,npi
sued for them, and in the legal inquir,
the counsel Of Mr.. Ames extorted tn
letters which have made so much noise
In the process Of this inquiry, Col. Nc
Comb has hecome q most importan
witness for the people, and certainly. s,
far as he has gone, he is not shown t,
have heen party TO any of the alleged
attempts to debauch Congress. In Iii
erapple with Mr. Brooks of New York
who has sought to injure him, he ha
shown himself a strong wrestler, and j
j b. is thrown it will he because he lie
lieved he could help himself by making
a personal issue with Col McComh
1t is the province of the Republican
party to clear its skirts of this Who'll,
transaction. and TO remember that whel
all American Congress is justly coyeret
with suspicion the limit of public We
nality has been reached II as man,
Democratic Congressman were laid un
der such charges. there would 0e nj
mercy shown them. We must be fear
less in seeking ont the guilty in on
own ranks, or we shsll lose and de
serve to lose, the respect of the people
AS the case stands, it is mass Of de
malls, counter denisls, oaths and coun
ter oaths, explanations and recrimina
tons.