Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-02-27


the matter had stood where Ames stood
with Gods truth, this storm would ha7
blown over and would have hardly made
ripple on the political surface. There wa
not q man present who did not know tina
the truth was that men in the canvass 90
shaky and lncSutiously denied it. Laugh
ter on the Democratic side.1
Mr.. Bingham rising-I did not deny it
and l did not get shakey. [ContinueC
laughter.1
Mr.. Butler-I am incuIpating nobody
But ! say that what troubled the public
conscience of the right true thinking men
of the country is not the Credit Mobiliel
stock, but
that have been told about it. [Laughte
and appause.1 And because you have go
one truthful man among you, you wan
to get rid of him. More laughter.l He
had no more idea of bribery than he ha(
Of lying. These records do not belong to
him, thank God. He told the truth. That
is the kind Of men whom we raise in
Massachusetts. [Lsughter.] l am en-
deavoring to roll back the tide of infamy
thrown on an old man. The outside work.
thinks be is a Mephistopheles. He ha
been compared to Satan, but he was only
to be compared to Satan before Satan fell
You know him-a kind hearted, broad
headed, benevolent, truthful, honest oil
man, and yet the press,
That DamnabIe Engine
of SANDER and libel, has hbelled him al
over the country, until that honest mans
name becomes by-word and a reproach
and the newspapers tell us what we shall
do under these circumstances. How did
this Credit Mobilier matter get out? A
newspaper reporter stole document and
sold it to a newspaper which published it.
1t began with the receiving of stolen goods
Let the press expel that member, and then
we will listen to its suggestions. thank
Heaven for one thinE, if no more-that
am man whom God made, and not whom
the newspapers made. Laughter.) l am
here say, TO try to roll back this tide Of
infamy, and to let the House understand
and the country understand what this old
man has done. The head aud FROM of his
offending hath that extent, no more. He never
denied it to anybody. You may send him
from this House disgraced-nO, not much
disgraced. He goes away, truth loving,
truth telling man before his God, and an
honest man before the people. Thank
God, you cannot disgrace him. Men wit
that character cannot be disgraced. There
is not a man of you, who, if Mr.. Ames
were to be driven out, would not be glad to
take his hand as the hand of an honest
man. And let me tell you, my eloquent
colleague, (Banks.) who spoke with tears
in bis eyes o! the duty which his conscience
imposed upon him, tnat those will not be
the last tears shed by him, if he does
harm to a hair of Cakes Ames' head.
That mans case is in your hands,
fellow members. You are to deal with
him as you wish to be dealt by in the last
day, when God judges the acts of all men;
and who shall 60 unwhipt, il every man has
every act of his life brought against him,
power Of investigation or excuse?
Cakes Ames thought he was doing right.
He is pure man to-day. There is no oe-
casion for expurgation in bis case, for there
is no man of you, my friends, who would
be ashamed or disinclined to associate with
Ames, even were you to have voted to ex-
pei him.
Buffers Defence of 3 rocks.
Leaving the case of Mr.. Ames and pas
sing to that of Mr.. Brooks, be stated the
fact to be that the Committee had found no
wrong in Mr. Brooks having the first one
hundred shares of Credit Mobilier stock
because be got it before he was Govern
ment Director. 1t was the last fifty shares
that the Committee condemned him on,
but that fifty shares was right which at
tached to the one hundred shares, except
that the time when he had the right to sub
scribe for it had passed. Mr.. Brooks, how
ever, insisted either for himself or Mr.. Neil
son, he (Mr. Battery did not care which,
that he had right to those fifty shares,
hat is, that he had a right to
20 on the ground floor, as the
stock phrase is. He claimed that right and
bad put it before board of directors as a
right and they had accorded him that right.
That might be extortion on the part of
Brooks if it had been conceded out of fear
of him as a government director, but that
was great way getting bride. Bribery
was what the House was to vote on. In
stead of bribery it was extortions. The
most remarkable thing in it was the bribee
extorting bribe from the briber holding
back as long as he could and calling board
Of directors to see if he could keep the bri-
bee from getting the bride. Oaughter)
who ever has heard thai before? He thought
he had heard of every phrase of criminal
aw, but had never heard of such a thing
before.
The hammer again fell, and Mr.. Butler
,ook his seat. His speech was listened to
With great attention, and frequently inter-
'upted with laughter and applause.
SheIIabarger.
Mr.. Shellabsrger then took the floor and
eplied 10 close, logical, legal argument
o the objections of Mr.. Butler and others,
hat the House had no right of expulsion
or acts done before election. He stated
he position contended for on the other side
o be that there was an iron-rule law by
which it is ordered that In no case shall
ither house of Congress ever make inquiry
nto any act in the life of any member who
nay come into either body, touching
fact in his life that antedates
y minute of time the date
Vhen he received the sufrages of his con-
tituent body. That provision he assaulted
y logic, by law, and by precedent. He
efeTred to Buffers remark that it would
ot hurt the house to have Ames here for
Dur more days, and said it would hurt the
american name, the American Constitution,
american honor, American character, and
that the gentleman talked so much abou;,
american liberty. 1t would hurt all these,
rovided the thing was fit to be done.
he member should enquire what his con
,ience, his oath, and what the law de
landed at his hands, aud should talk no
lore about four days being left to do high |
ublic duty.
He was followed by Wilson, Chairman
the Credit Mobilier Committee, No. 2, |
nd member Of the Judiciary Committee,
no argued against the report made from |
e judiciary Committee on Monday last |
? Butler. He regarded the conclusion
rived at in that report as pernicious and
II of mischief.
Mr.. Goodrich, another dissenting men,
IT of the Judiciary Committee, expressed
milar views.
EIdridge.
Mr.. Eldridge then took the floor and en-
red on legal discussion ofthe parliament
~ question involved, maintaining the po-
ion assumed by the Judiciary Commit
g.
Proposed Substitutes.
After some remarks by Mr.. Young in
position to the resolutions, and pending
me suggestions about the closing Of the
bate, Mr.. Sargent sent up substitute
r the pending resolution, as follows:
Whereas, by the report of the select COM
ttee herein appears that the acts charged
offences against members Of the House,