The Republican journal., 1873-04-10
The Reign Of Fraud.

most unexpected places, and appals the
public with the aspect and proof of moral
rottenness where all was believed to be fair
and honest. The most perplexing question
of the day is whether the country is drifting
to utter extinction of public integrity,
and the sure decay of that personal recti-
tude which was once thought to be the
first requirement of men in public stations.
And this state of things is .eacting upon
private morality. The example of the
Credit Mobilier fraud will be used by hosts
of those who betray the trusts of private
life as their Justification The Congress
sional salary steal will work like a cor
rupting and loathsome poison through all
the minor channels Of legislation, the
ramifications of business. and the relations
of private life. The seeds of vilainv are
of surprising fruitfulness.
Among the most serious lapses of public
men, although acting in a private capacity
in this particular instance, is that of John
{. Fremont. If the charges alleged
against him, and apparently proven in the
French courts, are true, he was the chief
director in 2 first class swindle perpe-
trated upon the credulous people of that
country. In suit Just terminated at
Paris, he has been found guilty aud SEN
fenced to five years imprisonment For
f11r al fN,. II, al
was was not within reach of the French
laws; but the sentence will hang over his
head for the remainder of his life.
1t seems that some four or five wears
ago, Cen. Fremont, together with three
others, Epperson, Schmoele and Snethe n,
became owners of the franchise of the
Memphis, Fl Paso and Pacific Railroad.
1t was railroad on paper only, not
mile having been built, but was to re-
ceive certain quantity of land for every
mile OF track laid. Bonds were issued.
pledging the lands that the company
owned only contingently, and put upon
the market of this country But the field
OF operations was too near the mythical
lands, and so would not 60, and it was
resolved to seek another and more fruit
ful one. The French consul general in
this country, Baron Boilleau, was q
brother-n-law of Gen. Fremont. each hay-
ing married a daughter of Thomas H.
Benton, and he lent aid to the scheme.
Fremont went to Paris, opened splendid
office, and advertised his bonds. These
bonds professed to guarantee to every
person taking them fifty acres Of land on
the line of the road, or one thousand
dollars. The French peasantry, to whom
the idea of land proprietorship on SO CON-
paratively large a scale as fifty acres
was dazzling prospect, were greatly
taken with the scheme. Fremont, say his
accusers, with his accustomed ostenta-
ton, opened a splendid suite of apart
ments in Paris. Lackeys in rich lveries
were obseqaious in their attendance upon
the visitors. By means of some secret in
t1uence operating among hi h personages,
Fremont was able to get his fictitious
bonds upon the market, and everything
seemed leading again to the full flood of
prosperity. An immense number of the
bonds were sold in the agricultural dis
tricts, and by the end of six months the
company we are told, had netted five
millions of 1o1Iarc in rrolJ
Some small show of building the road
had been made in the mean time. Eight
miles OF iron had been laid, and four loco
motives purchased. The engines were
seized and sold Tor debt, and never GOT to
the rails. When the golden harvest had
been secured, and awkward questions
began to be asked, the associates, gather
ing up the spois, fled to America. The
five millions were divided, it is alleged
among those engaged in the scheme. 1t
is not shown, and probably never will be,
that anything else has been done with it.
The next step was to put the corpora
ton in bankruptcy, and appoint receiver,
which was done; the road, property
and franchise sold out, and the whole con-
Germ closed. A more bold and disgrace
ful swindle was never perpetrated 1t is
for this, under the technical charge of
issuing fraudulent paper, that Fremont
has been condemned and sentenced bv
the French court IF demand shall be
made tor his surrender, under the extra
dition treaty there may be grave, and to
him perilous complications.
But coming back to our starting point,
1t is apparent that the times are fearfully
out OF joint when such things can be. FIRE.
mont is man identified with our nation
by his public services. He has held bioh
public positions. But a few years ago he
was the candidate of large and since sue
cesstul party for the Presidency. 1t seems
Incredible that such man should ENGAGE
in barefaced swinde like this. But facts
well known in this country, and LEGAL nro-
ceedings abroad, appear to give sanction
to the charge. 1t seems like a national dis
grace to find such a man implicated. And
the whole bad business is a striking COM
mentary on the lamentable degeneracy.
public and private, Of the present time.
Can it be possible that this tidal wave of
dishonesty is to know no retiring ebbp
The civil service reform, which prom
ises SO we'll few months ago. has gone
to the dogs. The President wouldn't
make appointments in conformity with its
rules, and Mr.. Curtis, chairman of the
board, has resigned in disgust. 1t was
too honest plant to take root at Wash
ington.