New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-24

lansing into ipsignificance, the assumed
basis of the affair was a certain list OF Con
gressmen who were alleged to have been
corrupted with Credit MobIller stock. Ihls
list had been produced in evidence before a
Philadelphia court and ran as follows:
Patterson of New Hampshire. ................ 5000
Wilson of Massachusetts 5SO
,. Colfax speaker ,,, ZACH %
Eiint INTERCHANGEABLE = .,....,. 5000
naUas Massachnsetts ,........... 1000
Rnvyier Tannessee ...... 1000
Boutwel Massachusetts. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 2eOO
Bingham and Garfield, Ohio. ................. Zooo
We have now the means of judging con-
clusively of the value and exact meaning
of this list. Mr.. Ames, who is alleged to
have dictated it, McComb, who wrote 1t
down, and every man mentioned III IL, eX-
cept three, concerning whom there IS no
question, have been examined and cross
examined under oath to the transactions
TO which it was claimed the list related.
What does it all amount to! To this: MIR.
Ames formed in his own mind. IN the latter
part of 1867, the project OF Interesting
in the Credit MObilier all the influential
men he could, including members OF Con
gress His motive, he says, was not cor
rupt, nor does it seem necessarily to have
been so. He wished to induce members,
when the affairs of the Credit Mobilier, or
of the Union Pacific railroad, with which
it was indissoiubly connected, were likely
to be effected by legislation, to "look into"
them, and satisfy themselves that there
was nothing wrong in them"
He believed Congressman would do this
| more thoroughly if they held stock in the
| company; in fact, that they would not do
| it at all if they were not pecunlarlly inter
ested. This is Mr.. Cakes Ames' story of
| what he intended, and how he expected to
| carry his intentions into effect.
| it was proper stock for Congressman 20
! hold and that no legislation would be
| wanted. He failed to take the stock, but
| believed he had peFfec. right 20 hold it
I as much az he would have to hold national
! bank stock.
Senator Henry Wilson, on tho suggestion
of Mr.. Ames, invested $4,000 of his wife's
J money in Credit Mobilier stock, with the
!. assurance that the road would want no
! leg islation; on discovering that the com
pany was in difficulty he ''backes ont of
| the bargain
! He succeeded in Interesting several COn-
7 gressmen. not mentioned in the list, and.
| curiOusly enough, never mentioned IN any
| of the opposition attacks on the credit Me-
| bilier operations. Senator Grimes, now
dead, Mr.. Alley, now out Of the House, and
! Mr. HOOPER, member of the present Con
gress. nve sted considerable amounts, and
| took an active part in the business OF the
| company. OF those HecOunted in the list,
| and treated to the bitter asperslOns OF the
campaign. the evidence, dissloses the follow
! ing facts:
MIR. Blaine was offered the stock, but de-
clined it, not entertaining, however. any
/. idea that the proposal was directly or indi-
| restly corrupt one.
Mr.. Patterson agreed eonditfonaify. near
| Che close of 1867, to take $4,000, par value.
Of stock of Mr.. Amss, Oh the assurance that
Vice President COlfaX agreed to take
! $4,000 of the stock, on the assurance that no
legislation was required; he paid $500 on
! the amount; learning that the company was
| involved in litigation, he cancelled the
agreement. and afterward when Mr.. Ames
became financially embarrassed, Mr.. Colfax
! surrendered his claim on him fOr the $500
advanced.
Mr. Scofeld, of Pennsylvania, gave Mr..
Ames $1,000 in 1868, TO pay for ten shares of
Credit Mobile r stock, but subsequently
chose TO take another stock instead.
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, agreed 10
take some stock Of Mr.. Ame.. but ''the mat
ter was dropped" che saw no more impro-
priety in a member of Congress buying that
stock than in buying a flock of sheep, and
then voting on the tariff on wool or wooden
goods
Mr. Eliot never had any of the stock.
Mr.. Dawes, of Massachusetts, gave Sir.
Ames $1,000 early in Decem Der, 1867, TO pay
! ceived one dividend of thirty five per cent;
learned the company was involved in law
suit and returned the dividend, receiving
from Mr.. Ames his original payment and
interest.
Mr.. Fowler. OF Tennessee. never had any
stock
Mr.. Boutwell,. OF Massachusetts,. ueve,
had any.
Mr.. Bingham, of Ohio. gave ST. Ames
$4,000 in January, 1868, to pay for twenty
shares Credit MObilier stock az par. Mr..
Ames returning receipt and agreeing 60
account for all dividends. At the same
! time Mr.. Bingham invested $3.50 in cen
shares of another company OF Mr.. Ames
He settled the Credit Mobilier matter in
January. 1870, and the other in the spring
of 1872, and thinks he made bout $500 on
the two operations.
Mr.. Garfield was offered stock. 6ut de.
clinad it,
This concludes the list. It will be seen
that the only man Of the number who made
any money out of the Credit Mobilier was
Mr.. Bingham, We presume no one will
question the statement. nevertheless, That
Mr. Bngham's established reputation az an
honest man and pure legislator is not
likely to be affected by that fact. Why
Because he was not one of the politicians
whom it is considered profitable or pleasant
to maligu.
1t will be seen, also, that of those who re
fused the stock, or who agreed to take it,
and subsequently declined it. none based
their action on any improperly in the
transaction, while several of them. aud
notably Messrs. Patterson and Kelley, men
of recognized character, distinctly assert
its perfect prOpricty. Concerning this point
and several others involved in this matter
we may have some views to offer hereafter.
At present we call attention to the facts as
above succinctly stated. that our readers
may have a clear and full idea OF what the
evidence in the case actually is.
Vaccination in the schools.
GolnnIaints are being made that nOtwith