Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-03-21

CGIVG GIl0 IGWaIOS VI GudG HUI GI1Gy
must have known to be an iniquitous
transaction. That was not the ques-
ton presented before the committee.
It was only question of evidence re-
lecting back pom their motives. And
if the proof had not been distinct and
positive throughout, the proof by their
accuser, Oakes Ames, and the proof by
themselves in their defense, that they
did not know at the time they made
the contract what was the character of
the relation between the Credit Mobi-
lier and the Union Pacific Railroad
Company-if the proof had not been
so distinct upon this point from all
quarters, uncontradicted anywhere,
then there would have arisen a most
strong presumption, nay, presump-
ton almost amounting to conclusive
proof, that they had in the first in
stance a guilty knowledge of the mat
ter. But, as say, the evidence was
only such evidence from which an in
ference might be drawn. Being re-
butted as it was by the character of
the transaction, by the unbroken testi-
mony of all parties concerned in the
matter, that these gentlemen at the
time they entered into the contract
were ignorant of it's purpose, we could
not give to that presumption conclu-
sive force, since in law and in the rea-
son of all men it was but presumption
susceptible Of being repelled by posi-
tive proof.
Mr.. LAMIsoN. Will the gentleman
yield to me for aquestion which I think
is pertinent?
Mr.. MERRICK. [ will.
Mr.. LAMIsoN. Was there any evi-
dence before the committee, either di-
rect or by implication, which gave the
committee to understand that Oakes
Ames knew the value of the stock at
the time that he made these contracts
to deliver the stocks to members OF
Congress?
MI. MERR1cK. Unquestionably he
knew it we'll. He knew that there was
already large dividend declared. He
knew that there was the dividend Of
eighty per cent. of Union Pacific Rail
road bonds declared on the 18th day
of December 1867. And there was a
further dividend of one hundred per.
cent. of Union Pacific Railroad stock
declared and distributed on the 4th
day of January 1858, .eentemporane-
ously with the previous dividend OF
eighty per cent. declared on the 18th
day of December 1867. Oakes Ames
knew all of that. But, as the evidence
shows, he did not anywhere communi-
cate that knowledge to the members
with whom he dealt. And hence il
was that say, and [ am justified in say
ing, that he dealt@with those men at the
time he dealt with them with satanic
skill. He sought to inveigle them in
to complications, and then after they
should become interested and involved
he counted upon their interest, to be
subsequently disclosed to them, to ope-
rate upon their minds in guilty con-
currence in his corrupt purposes to
influence the legislation of this Con-
gress.
Mr.. SHELLABARGER. Mr.. Speaker.
if the gentleman will allow me
Mr.. MERRICK. I ain an old lawyer,
and can bear interruption as we'll as
the next man. ..
Mr.. SHELLABARGER. [ would like
to ask the gentleman a question. "
Mr.. WHITTHORNE. | desire to ask
the gentleman question.
The SPEAKER. One at a time.
Mr.. .SHELLABARGER. I Idesire to ask
the gentleman question for informa-
ton, and to have difficulty which is
in my own mind removed, upon the
point the gentleman is now on. Iun-
derstood the gentleman to say that Mr..
Ames, with satanic skill
Mr.. MERRICK. Yes, sir that is the
term.
Mr.. SHELLABARGER. Contrived and
prosecuted this scheme.
Mr.. MERRICK. That is so. .-'.
Mr.. SHELLABARGER. And kept
from the parties with whom he dealt
the information which would have re-
PEELED them had they known as much
as he did.
Mr.. MERRIcK. Which [ hope would
have repelled them.
Mr.. SHELLABARGEa. Ny question
is, whether the committee had before
it proof to show-for I have not had
time to read all their testimony-that
this statement is not true which is con-
tanned in Mr.. Ames's letter, a letter
dated at Washington, January 25th,
1868? In speaking Of part Of these
persons with whom he dealt, he says:
"Part of the purchasers here are poor
and want their bonds to sell to enable them
to meet their payment on the stock of the
Credit Mobilier. have told them what
they would get as dividends, and they ex-
pect it." .....~
Mr.. MERRIcK. AS I have stated,
there was no evidence whatsoever be-
fore the committee that Mr.. Ames COM
municated any such fact to these mem
bers. He stated throughout what he
had communicated to them; they stated
throughout what he had communities
ted to them. And there was no evi-
dence whatsoever, and none that we
Icould get, except that which was de