, 1873-02-03

though tho Eroporttonato increaAo Of our debt
during tho wnr was much creator, having grown
to Its present szo from about "a per capita
before tho outbreak OF tho rebellion.
----
THE CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS.
Though tho developments Of the Credit Mo-
bllor investigation nro SLOW, no day passos With
out bringing to tho surface somo now evidence
OF Congressional corruption. Mr.. Duranta tos-
tlmony, On Saturday, furnishes an indication OF
corruption that has nover yot boon exposed, and
which there neems determination to s1pprcBB.
Willis Durant testified that ho had personally
mover paid dol1ar for tho influence o. mem
bor Of Congress-, ho sworo that ho Ind boon up
proaehod by mcmbor, in 1864, who offered to
aoll his vote. At another timo, four members Of
CongroBs camo to him, purportng to represent
somo forty votos, and desired to negotiate thon1.
Durant says that 11o doclinod to front for them;
but it is not probable TINT, whilo Mr.. Stewart
md othor lobbyists Ind several hundred thou-
sand do1lars to bo used in this way, tho forty
Congressional votca failcd to find purchasers.
Whothor they wero pnid by hlr. Durant N1r.
onkos Amos HIr. Stewart, or Dir. Somebody Else,
tho money camo out Of tho Union Pacific job.
And no matter where tho money car1o from,
there ia no reason to doubt, after Durant's state
mont, that there was at one timo in Washington
aCongressionalS Syndicate for thonegotiation and
| salo Of votes, which wore disposed OF BY tho
| score.
| Tho "Ninotoon" TINT at ono time sold their
influence and votes in tho Common Council OF
Chicago in o common pool, must tako back
seat, both ns to numberg and aB to ByRtomatio
catering to bribery. Their business was in par
ceiling ont small Offices to tho highest bidders,
and making common prey OF such little Jobs as
presented themselves from timo to tlmo. Tho
sum Of 925 or e50 apiece WAS regarded by tho
mombers Of this Chicago Credit robilor as an-
plo compensation. Thoy were but feoblo imi-
tatora Of tho Congressional Combination which
threw out their neta for bigger t}ah, ana counted
tho proceeds by tho thousands. The Chicago
Syndicate for tho salo Of Council votes was
brokon down. How will 1t DO with tho Congress
sional Dribo-takcrsa Is 1t truo that tho puna1l-
ment for bribery must decrease inyeraely aa to
tho increase Of tho bribe?
Va
day was not Of character to increaso tho public
confidence in tho Investigation. Heretofore,
thero las -boon reason to boliovo that both tho
Poland Committee and tho Wilson Committee
were pushing the investigation for tho purpose
Of ferreting out corruption wherever it might be
hidden. Tho Wilson Committee certainly failod
to press Durant for tho namos Of the Congress-
men who cano to him offering to sell yotos. The
witness aaid significantly that sometimes lie could
remember nameH, and sometimes he couldn't. It
looks very much as though this is ono OF the
occasions on which his memory would have
Stewart has boon ccpmittod for contempt bo.
cause llo declined to divulgo tho names Of cor.
tain newspaper proprotora to whom he Rays
that he gaye part Of tho Union Pacific moneys
which had boon intruated to him for bribing pur.
} poses. Durant's names arc Congressional names
aud thoro was no effort to revivc Lis halfwilline
momory. Was this because thore woro actual,
forty mombers OF Congress- behind the fou1
: whom Durant could nano? Was it because thu
number of corrupt Congressman WAS SO larg'
) that tho Committee folt it to DO dangerous tt
opon the way TO complete exposure?
III MComb's evidence before tho Poland Com
mittco, ho read letter from General Dodge
announcing the lofoat Of the Rate bill, md il
which ho asked whether it did not pay to hayt
friends in Congress" Amos, too, sail tt
Dodge: "Has Mr.. Colfax's ruling paid tho in
yest1nont Of stocls?' Tho questions cortanl
woro not intended to DO meaningless. It now
j. perhaps, q serious anl perplazing question
y whether there is sufficient majority Of inco1
T. rupt and incorruptiblo men in Congress- to fore
J. complete exposure Of Congressional thioylne
l. Ono thing, however, is clear and simple. LIE
if h1r. Oakes Ames DO expelled from tho House i'm
l. mcliately, By his own confession, he is guilt
ID Of having used his Congressional place for til
" single purposo Of bribing his colleagues. III
ty expulsion is demanded by every iae
IN OF Justice and honor. It will ur
d. doubtodly DO followed by R moro complete an
IL convincing exhibit OF corruption, aud q sure
Id Identification of those who are guilty, than th
to famous q memorandum book" has yot divulget
T. Will tho House dare to oxpcl An.os? Lot n
Dy Durant be compelled to give the names of th
,g four Congressman who came to him to negotiat
g. forty Congressional votes. Nobody doubi
If that tho exposure Of tho four wonld oyentuall
to lend to tho oxposuro Of tho forty. Thoro s aai
I'd to bo honor among, thieyos, but those who ha7
It watched tho testimony In the Credit Moblicr il
in yoatigation will hardly conclude that any col
Dy ylctod Congressman will try to shield Lila guilt
y colleagues.
Il" SENATORIAL INTEGRITY,
III Tho danger Of bad precedent Is to be aee
~ In tho case of tho purchase Of an election b
hlr, j. ]. Patterson as n Senator OF tho Unite