, 1873-02-20

In reviewing tho conclusions reached by tho
Poland Committee, 1t is just to remember that
their taak was at onco deicate and ombarrasa-
ing. They wore called upon to examine charges
Of bribery against somo of the foremost mon In
the nation, Congn >sional colleagues whom they
Ind come to respoct, gontlemon whoeo motives
Ind nevor bofore boon impugnod. This circum-
stance alone would have rendered their task
difficult and harassing. Added to this, howovor,
was mass Of conflicting testimony, in which
men OF equally high standing boforo tho CON-
munity confronted each other with opposing
statements, and Loft to tho Committee
to gueaa whore the Lie, Or rather tho perjury,
wns. Und6r circumstances like thoso. it is
Bcarcely remarkable TINT thoir report should
have been incomplete and inconsistent in soplo
respects. There aro sovoral notable points
about It, which may be stated as follows:
l.. The Committee hnye recognized degrees Of
guilt in Credit 1lobilier transactions. In the
cases Of Brooks and Amos, whose expulsion they
recommend, thoro was undoubtod guilt. In
ment Of all profits from tho timo tho atock was
transferred to him to tho timo Of his sct-
tlomont with Ames, In 1879, though tho
precise amount WAS not ascertainea. Mr..
scotlold was found to have surrendered Lis
Credit Mobilicr stock, but to have retained
$1,000 In tho Union Pacific stock, which WIS
presumably profit. nlr. Kelley received $3.50
at ono timo and $3.50 at another tlmo as his
| profits. Mr, Garfield received $500 "a dlyi-
dend, but had no further transactions with
| Amea Mr.. Dawes received no other benefit
than 10 por cent on lis Investment, it that can be
| called beuott. hlr. Blaine nayar took tho
stock which Ames offered him, and was complete
| " oxouoratcl. The implicated Senators must
look to their own body for judgment. Hero is
agraaation from positive, conaeioua and persst-
ont guilt, through several stages of divgracoful
! connection with tho scheme, down to a COM
p1oto innocence. The Committee did not at-
I tempt to define the rolatiyo dogree in which
those gentlemen were guilty, aaiae from Ames
| and Brooke.
2. Tho report is defective in alleging as tho
| rcaaon for Anes' expulsion that lie had bribed
mombess Of Congress, while it fails to s&ipu]ato
| what members OF Congress- had been bsibed.
! In making no further reference to lIossrs.
Dawos, Garfield, Kelley, scohold, md Bingham
than reeitipg tho circumstances Of thoir cases,
tlloro was no effort to Charge upon them tho
guilt OF ,bribe-taking. Tho tono OF tho report
touda rathor to relieve these gontlemon Of such
q suspicion, Now, b1r. Amos did not brbo
| Brooks, becauae BROOKS doalt directly with tho
Company, using his position as Government
| Director to secure large amount OF Credit No
| bilior stock. Who, then, did Oakes Ameb bribe !?
Tho Committee aro convinced that It waa tlo
purpose Of oakos Anna to brho when he allowed
membors to have atock at par Which was wortl,
200 or 800 per cent, aud thon permitted tllom to
pay for ii out Of its dlvllonda. This feature
must hayo boon explained to tho gentlemen who
received tho stock. They must huyo known
what they wore: to pay and how thoy wore to
pay. II A1r. Ames intended to bribo by giving
property at ono.tlllrd It's value, the rocipiopts.
being Intelligent mon, must have suspected as
much in accepting tho property On such torus,
| Q. Tho most lame md impotent feature of tho
| report is tho failure OF tho Committee to mako
como pointed condemnation OF tho conduct OF
Congressman who had been proved to have en-
tered Into speculation whose profits dopondei
upon tho ayai1a Of a Government subsidy.
Even II 1t woro assumed, though It ia
not, that all theso gontlomon woro Ignorant Of
the character Of tho Credit Mobior Company.
It would furnish no oxcuao for thoir connection
with It. 1t was their busiueaa to know about It..
T1oy are sont to Congress-, and paid out Of tho
public money, for tho purpose Of knowing such
thiuga and Of protecting tho intorosta of tho
people. Whom they aro found associated With q
scheme to divide tho profits that accrue from tho
Unisod States GoYornmont 1t ia olear that they