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

WIFI t1lClll.
Mr.. Speaker, the acts and conduct
of Oakes Ames in inveigling these gen.
tlemen into the unfortunate predica-
ment in which they were placed can
be characterized only as acts Of satanic
skill. He knew and understood what
were the relations of the Credit Mobi-
lier to the Union Pacific railroad; he
knew and understood what complica-
tions would grow out of the predica-
ment in which he was placing these
men with reference to their subsequent
conduct. There is no evidence before
the committee that they knew anything G
about it at the time. Ifthey had known
what enormous dividends were to grow
out of the contract which they made
with him the committee could not have
acquitted them; but there is no evi-
dence that they did know it; on the
contrary, the evidence throughout is
that he represented to them that here
was a good investment in the stocks of
a contracting company, with reference
to which he was prepared to guaranty
to them a dividend of ten per cent. if
they would consent to take such inter
est as he designated in that stock.
So far as the evidence goes, it was
upon the faith of these explicit repre-
sentations and assurances by him at
the time that they entered into these
unfortunate relations. There is not a
scintilla of evidence with reference to
any of them that they knew what was
to follow; that they knew what would
be the enormous profits derived from
this arrangement. .-..
Mr.. ELDREDGE. Will the gentleman
allow me to call his attention to the
fact that they knew that the stock was
to be paid for by the dividend? p
Mr.. MERRICK. / will undertake to
say that the gentleman from Wiscon-
Fsin Mr.. ELDREDGE is not sustained
by the evidence in the assertion that
he makes. There is no evidence that
they did know at the time they made
the contracts with him what the divi-
dends would be. If the gentleman
will prove that fact to me, [ will &c
with him, marching steadily on in the
face of all the responsibilities which
belong to me as sworn member Of the
House, and as sworn judge, in which
capacity stand here, to e1pel each and
every man of them from the House.
Mr.. ELDREDGE. IF I am not Inter
rupting the gentleman too much, ]
wonld like to call his attention to this
fact that these gentlemen must have
known when they receievd 1929 as a
balance from the sale Of the stock they
received what was reallya a dividend on
! the stock which they had purchased.
Mr.. MERRICK. Does not the gentle
man from Wisconsin Mr.. ELDREDGE
know we'll, or has he not read the evi-
dence at all---doos he not know well
that the contract with each and every
one of these men was made in the
months of December and January, and
that the dividends of which he speaks
were not made until the 18th Of June
How, then, could they in December
and January know of that which did
not take place until six months there
after? - -.
Mr.. ,ELDREDGE. Will the gentleman
yield to me for another question?
Mr.. MERRICK. Twill yield to every
thing for the purpose of a fair discus
sion of the facts in this cause, for, as |
said, [ am not here as an advocate, to
seek to convict the guilty, but that it
is my highest and most solemn obliga-
ton todoeverything possible in acquit-
ting any and every man who can be
proved to be innocent. Applause.
Mr.. ELDREDGE. [ have no other
motive except to elicit the truth, and
[ presume that the gentleman's posi-
ton and mine are the same, and if
can come to the same conclusion at
which he has arrived, [ shall be very
glad. Now, as | understand the report
Of the committee, this was a continu-
ing crime which these persons com
mitted, continuing through a long
series of time after the original contract
was made, and long after the 1929 was
received, which they knew to be bal
ance of dividends after paying for the
stock they had purchased.
Mr.. MERRICK. That affects another
question; it affects a question upon
which, as | have already intimated,
the committee did not feel themselves
called upon by the resolutions Of this
House to pronounce. 'e-
Mr.. LAMIsoN. VIII the gentleman
allow me to ask him question?
Mr.. MERRIoK. Perhaps [ shall be
able to make myself understood if !
am not interrupted; but if each and
every member of the House, before |
speak a sentence or announce propo-
sition, interrupts me with questions,
how is it possible that l can follow a
continuous line of thought or argu-
ment?. The gentleman from Wiscon-
sin Mr.. ELDREDGE has asked me in
reference to their reception of the divi-
dends in the month of June following
| confess the full force of the argument
contained in. that question. The com.
mittee itself was pressed by the logical
argument, how was it possible that
these gentlemen should subsequently
have received these large dividends