The Portland daily press., 1873-02-05
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE

railway speculation, not to saw game * n,.L
lie piunder, this country has vet known be y
sne INDIVIDUAL who went about placing ia
stock among innocent and confidjng nanst .s 10
OF Congress, "where 1t would do most gonS !,
anu whose transactions In this line as re-.
sealeo from day 10 day by Investigation, ara
nA,g tne attention Of the entire country
Ahu no wonder, for facts of such startling
eeessSstVeness essn no Congressional IL QUESTION.
VI an tne scores set on foot for twenty wears.
nas dragged before tAe light of day. Nor Is
Tue interest et these disclosures lessened by
the fact that, in spite of ali the onnos;tion
pressure in Congress for investigation last ses-
sion, these things escaped the notice of those
xtyDse scent was as keen as a sleuth-hound's
for the slightest taint of public plunder or
official misdoing. The Treasury defalca-
tions, the general-order frauds, the profits on
the sale Of arms 10 France, were matters Of
| thousands, but here is scheme by which
ring of speculatols has pocketed. mainly from
government donations to national enter
| prise not less than thirty millions.
Whether this sum or any part OF It can Dc
recovered to the public Golfers is question
that now awaits inquiry iato the completely
OF members of Congress in Its abstraction.
A scheme that had thirty millions In 1t could
well afford to go around pacirg a little OF its
stock ''where IL would do most good" md II
Is the investigation whether any of our law
makers came to own this stock, and If so,
hoH and why, that now makes an obscure
chamber in the Capitol the daily cynosure to
all eyes in the nation. To whatever occurs
in that room during the daily session Of Jadge
Poland's committee, there now attaches a
more than dramatic interest. 1t was so yes
terday, especially when the Vice-Presldent OF
the United States was put upon the witness
stand and confronted-yes, and 1atiy contra
dicted-bv the grim Mephistopheles OF the
Credit Mobilier
The room is plain apartment, under the
Library OF Congress, and looks toward the
west 'front.' OF the Capitol, near the central
entrance. Through its middle extends long
table, at the further end of which are con-
spicuous the fine face, figure and silveiy head
OF the chairman. Judge Poland, on whose
right sit McCreary and General Banks, and
on bis left Messrs. Melrick and Niblack, OF
The committee. Next to General Banks is
the chair where the witnesses sit during ex-
animation, and whose usual occupant Is Mr..
Ames. The remainder of the table is thick
ly frnged with reporters, busy with their
pied is crt wded with spectators, many Of
whom are prominent railroad men, politicians
and representatives OF the press.
But the person, who above every other, at
tracts all eyes, and to whose words bend all
ears, is the same gray and grim old man,
whom we saw while ago writing at his desk
In the House OF Representatives. Even now,
as be sits by the table harried with questions,
aud replying In direct, laconic sentences,
his head is drawn down upon his chest as
we saw 1t before, and his fingers are idlng
with the pen, sometimes drawing straight
lines, Imaginary railway lines, perLaps,1 a d
then making characters (his utterances are
unmaking them) on stray scraps Of paper.
However provoked, never dos be say word
too much, or anything that Is Irrelevant;
neither does he go out of his way to answer
questions not asked, but something In his
manner carries the impression that be might
say great deal more, did he not choose to
withhold it, and that whenever tests may be
applied to him, he feels himself master of the
situation. Though sometimes caught in
seeming contradictions, what be says goes
straight to its mark, and with as much ap-
parent force, sometimes, as If propelled by q
locomotive ON an air-liue track. Nor can you,
withal, escape the feeling that the man tells
truthful story, and that somehow he can,
whenever he chooses, vindicate himself In the
assertions he has made.
1t was sorrowful sight to see the Vice
President wrestling with this railroad Sphinx
yesterday, in the effort to free himself from
the taint of Credit Mobilier, and while no
one yet disbelieves that Schuyler Colfax Is an
incorruptible man, 1t must be confessed that
self and Ames, the latter had the best of 1t.
Mr.. Colfax was annoyed, as he had reason to
be. Against his mos: positive and direct as
sertion stood the equally posisive statement
OF Ames, icorroborated BY check and book
account entries, presenting as square an is
sue of veraciy as could possibly be made.
One must be llght-perhaps both are; but a
mystery ershrouds the matter which one or
the other chooses not to lpveil. ibid you
ever, within the past four years, tell me that
the stock was mine?' inquired Mr.. Colfax
desperately. NO." replied Ames, blunsly,
"neither do / know that anybody has told
me for four We, rs that owned my own hat"
This was poser. and the grim GOODNESS with
which it was said added to the effect.
Much has been said of the Inconsistencies
of Ames' testimony, and there is no DISPOSE
tion to minify them, but they are certainly
not greater than those of the inculpated Con-
gressmen; and the impression grows stronger
every day that the old man has told a sub
stantially straight story. AT the outset, as Is
generally believed, he undertook to shield
members as much as he could from the ac-
cusation Of owning stock, and for this pur-
pose withheld certain facts or told partial
truth in regard to them. But finding that
these imperfectiOns in his te timony were be-
ing seized upon by some or the very persons
for whose benefit they were designed, to
break down his statements and make him the
scapegoat for the sins of Others, he very nat
urally concluded to make clean breast CT 1t
in regard to these persons, and, therefore,
broached some very UNPLEASANT truths,
which sundry people would have been much
obliged to Kim If he had kept from the public
eye. 1t Is true that Ames has an interest in
showing that Congressman actually bought
the stock assigned him to be placed, for
should he establish this fact, McComb's suit
against him falls to the ground; but should
be fail, he will of course be required TO ac-
count for these shaies in some other way. II
was, fact, this suit OF McCombs which
brought all these matters to ligh for II Is not
at ali likely they could otherwise have been
reached by the feeble cork-screw of Con-
eressional Investigation. sf