The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-01-30
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
The eInvestigatlons- -Oakes Ames, IS. c.
The Wilson Committee = The Caldwell
Cass-The Land Grab

The Investigators Ames. IS. C -
The Wilson Committes = The Caldwell
CAse-The Land Grab.
WASHINGTON, Jan. n, 1873.
"To the victors belong the spoils;' =
bat in dividing the spoils victors'
sometimes fall out and honest men get
their dues. Somehow, our Republican
brethren don't shield each other as
.hey did last fall, or whitewash as
they did last session. The light
weights seem to think some of the
heavy weights who are accused of
bribery might just as well be put cut
of the way, as there is altogether too
much competition among party lead
ers. So the mass of Republicans vir-
tuously declared that the Credit Mobi-
lier investigation should 60 on. slay'
ing whomsoever it might. But q sud-
den change has come Ger the spirit of
their dreams. They find that other
things, and other things, can be inves-
tigafed as well as some things, and
that unless the thing is stopped there
won't be enough congressional respect
ability left to speak about. ~
The Wiisoninvestigating committee
at the very outset, got trace of such
startling evidences of corruption that
it has mot dared to pursue the evidence
with any tenacity. happened in the
other day and saw apoor fellow, Z.
III. Rollins, former Secretary of the
Union Pacific Road acknowledge (for
he couldn't avoid it) that he had been
entrusted with sl26, 600 to be disbnrsed5
as special legal expenses in Washing
ton city, in 1871, but he declared that
he had no idea what he did with it.
couldn't remember, etc. Everyone
who heard him testify, kne,c that the
money was spent in the Washington
Lobby. But the Committee made no
attempt to follow up the clew. The
Committee will not dare unearth the
corruptions which underlie the Union
Pacific, because of their very magni-
tude. ssf fsI3 !. si.ss.s fasiis3 aa i'2l
The Caldwell Investigation is maxi
ing good many Congressman feel
pretty nervous. For, although there
is abundant proof that Caldwell
bought his way into the Senate. he de-
clares he can prove that number of
other Senators secured their seats in
the same way. He gives the names of
several, and among them that of Sem
ator Pomeroy, who is regarded as such
a sanity parsonage. ~ -. ~
1t seems that Mr.. Ames thought he
would not be hard on his lame ducks
while there was any hope that they
would shield him in return for his ST.
lence but he soon discovered that
they purposed making an example of
him. This so enraged the old gentle
man that he hunted up his note book,
refreshed his ismemory, and now swears
in the most positive ana circumstan-
tally minute manner that al, save
three or four, actually bought stock,
received dividends and own it to-day.
He frankly acknowledges that he tried
to shield them all he could in his for
mer testimony; but that now he shall
tell the whole truth. Mr. Colfax
made it point to be present and when
Ames let out on him-why, you ought
to have seen It. That perennial smile
just reversed itself into q most sickly
grin. Everybody wondered how he
did it, and some have even expressed
the fear that he will never be able to
get his seraphic smile back again. Mr..
Colfax has been summoning witnesses
in hot haste and trying to prove all
sorts of things, but, somehow, he
doesn't seem TO be making much head
way. Mr.. Ames told him plainly that
he needn't try to get around it. or
through it, or over it, for he 'spaid for
the stock, received dividends upon it
and ON ms it today Mutual re-crim-
nations were banded between Colfax
and Ames so lively that the Chairman
was obliged several times to call them
to order. ..54s.s.
Probably nobody takes Mr.. Ames
for fool; but those who consider
him simply shrewd business man
very much underrate him. Beneath
that coloriess exterior ia one of the
keenest old gentlemen the country has
ever seen. His manner is simple and
apparently sincere; but neither the
able lawyers on tie Committee nor
any of the honered defendants have
been able to trap him once. You see
just as much of him as he desires you
to see. His plans, purposes and opin-
ions are apparent only in results.
h. THE LAND GRAE
bill has passed the House and is now
before the Senate Itprovides for the
giving outright OF homesteads to ex-
soldiers and permitting them to dis
pose Of the title, without settlement.
Of course this would result in placing
q vast amount of land in the hands of
spectators. The members of the
House never really Intended to have
the bill pass, but thought they would
court the favor of the soldiers by
passing the bill and allowing the Sem
ate to kill it. Some of the prominent
Senators believe that the bill will be
so modified as to require actual settle
ment as q condition of ownership ex-
cept in the cases of those who were
disabled in the service and are now
on the pension rolls. Thus. modified
the House will probably pass it at the
present session. So i{H GAEL.
So great has been the oppression of
the negro and Carpet-bag Goverpm snt
in Louisiana and New Orleans that the
debt of that city is One.fourth of her