Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-05
The Morrill, Debate.


Thursday evening while the Senate was
debating the Louisiana que. ton, Mr.. Morrill,
of Maine took the opportunity when pause
occurred, to get leave to report from the
connection Of senators with the Credit
Mobilier. The committee recommended the
expulsion of Senator j. w. Patterson of
New Hampshire They thus sum up his case.
The committee cannot escape the con-
clusion that be, being senator of the Uni
ted States in 1867, contracted with Mr..
Cakes Amee then and still member Of the
House of Representatives,, for the purchase
of 80 shares in the stock OF the Credit
MObilier of America, at rates greatly below
its esteemed value, and subsequently, came
into possession of the same; that he received
the dividends which from time to time were
declared thereon that he subsequently, in
the year 1869, dealt with MIR. Ames to
large amount, in the stock and bonds of the
Union Pacific, for the purpose of profit, and
disposed of the same stock IN the markets OF
New York, with the knowledge of the charac-
ter of the Credit Mobilier, and of it's re-
ations to and connection with the Union
Pacific railroad company; and further, that
he had knowledge of the interest of Mr..
Ames in, and his connection with said COM
panes; also, that the object of MIR. Ames in
this dealing with him was to secure the
friendly recognition of the interests of said
companies, and his own interests therein,
and to influence his action as a senator in
matters of legislation affecting the same :;
and further, being inquired OF in relation
thereto before committees of both branches
of Congress, hegave a false account Of trans
actions between himself and MIR. Ames,
suppr essed material facts and denied the ex-
istence of other material facts, which mus
have been known to him.
In MIR. Harlan's case, the committee sum
up the facts, - that Mr.. Durant, the vice
president of the Union Pacific Railroad Com
pany, a corporate creation OF Congress, which
would probably be again the subject of legls-
lation, contributed $40 900 with the avowed
purpose of its icing used in securing the
election of Mr. HtrlaD to the Senate of the
United States, he teng at the time of its
receipt the Secretary OF the Interior" Upon
which the committee proceeds to comment
that this discloses an evil upon which ii
cannot too severely animadvert. The use
OF large sums Of money to iuhlence either
popular Ut citSttOnS otl IhSo NiCOt-
/ ~ at the fundamental principle Of a repuhli-
can government. 1t excludes merit fram
public place, and undermines the public anO
private virtue upon which alone republican
institutions can stand 1t cannot be con-
cealed that it is one of the threatening dan
gers to the permanence OF our government,
and one which calls Tor the popular rebuke
which can come only, and should come
| spaodilu tho united at Ir
tuous cltlzels of the republic, uttered at ev-
cry stage of q, vernmental action, from the
low est to the highest While this receip,
and use OF money is thus open to censure,
the evidence adduced to prove that Senator
Harlan was influenced by the gilt thus made
TO him failed 10 establish any such results.
Concerning Vice President Wilson tn,
report says " lie does not appear to have
| teen well-iniormed as to tie Character OF the
Credit Mobiher, nor does it appear that hi
had reason to suppose that MIR. Ames had
any other motive in urging him to purchase
stock IN it than that OF personal friendship.
The committee however ielt moved - to
remark that, on the Is n OF last September,
he authorized dispatch to be sent to the
public press, which IN effect was regarded ar
an uuqualit, denial that lie had ever Oh
| taintd from Cakes An,es or any other person
| The elIghtt st interest IN the Credit Mobilier,
and that this dispatch was calculated to con-
vey to the pubic an erroneous impression.
The correspondent of the Boston Herald
thus describes the scene in the Senate when
the report was received.
Senator Patterson, was sitting in Senator
| Hanius seat just back of bis Own, when the
resolution for his expulsion was read, and
seemed struck with paralysis. HIS heao
| dropped On his breast aud he sank back int
his seat. Senator Howe, who was sitting
| beside hun, soon engaged him IN CONVEX sa-
! ton, but the unfortunate senator did not
| lit his face for long time 50 that 1t could
| be seen from the galleries. Wilson and 10
gan gathered near the main entrance. The
| expression on the c0untenance of the former
was a study. First came look OF blan
surprise, mingled with incredullty, and then
his face flushed bright red, as IL does wher
lie is excited. He went to his seat and sal
down, and in moment jumped up anC
walked about the chamber, Speaking with
this senator and that. Logan also showed ar
extraol binary interest in the result and en-
gaged IN an earnest conversation with Sena
tor Hamln Alter a few moments Patter
son took his seat, and, having procured th'
manuscript copy OF the report, slowly per
| used 1t.