Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-08-15
Mr.. Colfax Completely Vindioated.

Mr.. Collar Completely vindioated.
From Harpcr's Weekly.
In the carnival of SANDER that at
tended the last Presidential cam
paign the honorable reputation of
Schuyler Colfax was to be weighed
against the fading memory and un-
trustworthy assertions of Cakes
Ames. Against Mr.. Colfax, the op-
position leaders seemed to turn with
especial malice. Pure as had ever
been his reputation in all the paths
of life, eminent as were his SER
vices to freedom, they hoped to
crush him by idle insinuations, and
perhaps to revenge upon him the
fall ofslavery. The feeble and hes
itating charges made against him
by Cakes Ames were eagerly re-
pcated, and the people were called
upon to believe testimony that was
either frivolous or contradictory,
and to accept statement as true
that was denied by Colfax, and
which had once been denied by his
assailant. The heat of the contest
has passed away, mems impulses
have been sottcned into common
sense, and the more candid of his
opponents have confessed the integ-
rity of Mr.. Colfax, and the errors
and contradictions of Ames. 1t is
impossible, indeed, to read over the
whole testimony Of the latter, and
observe the varying nature Of his
statements at different times, with:
out feeling that his once vigorous
intellect had become clouded, and
that the disease which was soon to
bear him away had perhaps impair
ed those faculties which in their ma
ture strength carried on to success,
one OF the greatest of modern flnan-
clal and engineering labors.
1t has since happened that two
incidents have occurred that tend
to show what became of the $1,000
check marked S. c., which Ames,
in one stage of the controversy.
said he had paid to Mr.. Colfax.
About two months before his death,
Mr.. Ames admitted to General Gin
ton B. Fisk, of St. Louis, with
whom he had long been in close bus
mess relationship, that he believed
the check was paid to himself; that
Dillon, the cashier, was correct in
his statement, and he further said
that Mr.. Colfax had been greatly
wronged in the matter. In other
words, according to General Fisk's
statement, which we are authorized
to use, Amcs himself was at last
convinced the $1,000 check was ne
yer seen or heard of by Mr.. Colfax.
No one, therefore, can any longer
entertain the preposterous charge,
when even its author had aband.
oned it; and the admitted testimony
of Mr.. Drew, who saw Ames draw
4 $1,000 check on the 22d of June,
and pay the money to a stranger,
receives confirmation from tho state.
ment Of General Fisk. We should
scarcely have thought this unbound.
ed accusation deserving of another
notice, SO wholly unworthy is it OF
belief, had not these somewhat re-
markable incidents tended to throw
new light upon the whole transac
ton. The honor of our public men
too, is dear to the people. Mr.
Colfax has been deeply wronged
and we believe the country will re
joice to see his untalnted reputation
saved from the malice of his enemies
and will do full justice to his emf.
nent public services and the unset
fish devotion with which he has gi
ven his life to the support OF pure
republicanism.
1t would be pleasant to think, as
is confidently believed by~ some Of
his friends, that Ames, had he lived
would have publicly stated that he
was mistaken in the matter, and
that death alone prevented him from
repairing the injury he had done
Yet his latest statement will tend tc
show the little reliance that can be
placed upon his earlier ones. His
memory had plainly become impair
ed; and the charges he SO confident
ly made against Wilson, Colfax
Blaine, Garfield and the other Re
publican leaders, the chief defend
ers of freedom, have received a new
refutation. His testimony was ev-
identity not trustworthy. He be-
came sensible himself that he had
been led into error; and if he was
at last convinced that he had done
injustice to Mr.. Colfax, it is not i'm
possible that he would have been
equally ready to withdraw his other
statements. He felt, his friends be-
lieve, that he had done wrong, that
his memory had failed him, and the
latter period of his life showed a de-
sire to make proper atonement.
Such IS the conclusion Of the career
of Cakes Ames, like that of many
other men, an ineffective repentance.
THE Inter Ocean is we'll informed
regarding Iowa politics. The fol-
lowing fits the new party in this
county perfectly:
The new party movement over in
Iowa don't seem to be in as flourish
ing condition as it's local engineers
and Chicago sympathizers would
ike to have it. The trouble appears
to be that it has become "top-heavy"
from its enormous freight Of briga-
dier generals. There are really so
many in the NOV ement who want Of
| fees you know.