Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-01-31
Congress and the Credit.mODllIer.

WHEN the charge was made last sum.
mer against certain eminent members of
Congress that they had been bribed TO
vote in favor Of the Pacific Railroad,
every Intelligent man probably felt that
the charge was untrue. The bribery of
Speaker Blaine was said to have been
proved" He promptly and fully de-
MED Il, and Il Is evident that he told only
the truth. The late Mr.. f. d. Eliot was
among those named. He was q man of
singular purity Of character; and those
who knew him could only pity the party
ferocity that did not spare him. It now
appears sto'everybodY that the charge was
as false as his friends knew II to be at the
time, and simply because Of his charac-
ter. Mr.. Boutwell,, also, one Of the most
spotless Of our public men, was assailed
by the same infamous slander. 1t was
wholly without justification. Mr.. Dawes
was aspersed. But the evidence shows
how uPjustly. There are other gentle
But sitSoush they had to do with M.
Oakes Ames and his stock, 1t is entirely
unnecessary 10 suppose, and it Ia certain.
ly not yet proved, that 1t was with any
nefarious purpose. That Vice. President
Colfax, for instance, would not and could
not be bribed is as plain proposition as
could be imagined.
Nobody can doubt his statement before
the committee, He had long been, as Is
well known, a friend of the Pacific Road,
and one day Mr.. Ames offered to sell him
some stock in the Credit-Mobilier. After
some inqnires Mr.. Colfax said that he
should like to buy, but that he had no
money. Mr.. Ames replied that he would
sell him twenty shares at par If ne would
81 fnto
Mr.. Colfax agreed, thinking, as he most
naturally and honestly might, that there
was no more probability OF Congressional
legislation upon the Pacific Railroad than
upon any other chartered company-a
national bank or mandatory. Some
time afterward Mr.. Colfax paid five hun
dred dollars upon his contract, but he re-
ceived no dividends and no certificates of
stock. Presently he heard of difficult
ties among the managers and probable
lawsuits, and he instantly told Mr.. Ames
that he must recede entirely from the
transaction. A year afterward Mr. Ames
failed, and Mr.. Colfax told him not to
think more of the FIVE hundred dollars,
the loss OF which is the net result to the
Vice-President Of the Credit-MobilieI
This is very simple, natural story
Told by Mr.. Co1fax, it is not a story to be
doubted. Mr.. Ames may or may moi
have had a sinister intention in his
offer. But surely Mr.. Colfax was moi
bound to know it or to suspect it. There
are many gentlemen in Congress who
have little money to invest, and who know
very little of good Investments. When
they wish to invest, naturally they would
consult their colleagues who are constant
ly engaged in such business; and wher
such colleagues suggest that if theil
friends have money to spare there
is good opportunity to invest, it il
not surprising, and implies no kind oi
dishonor, that the opportunity is improv
ed. Indeed, there is nothing question:
BILE inIthe matter until 1t is shown tina
the gentleman ought to suspect the col
league who makes the offer. If maj
consults Jim Fisk upon investments, h,
must expect, of course, to be called pig
con, or a sharer of the booty. And again
if a member Of Congress is pecuniaril,
interested in any company or projec
which asks Congressional aid, he should
refrain from voting. But this is rul,
which affects votes upon tariffs as well a
railroads.
If we assume that Mr.. Ames had i'm
proper intentions, he would, of course
seek to entangle men of the best charac
ter, and to affect their votes indirectly
and of course, however essentially limo
cent transaction may be, when an ex
posure is made showing knavery some
where, those who have had any part in i
whatever are smirched. If it shall finall,
appear that members owning stock voted
favors to the company, then they mus
suffer in public estimation with the mem
bers who, being interested in any manu-
featuring industry, vote for its specia
protection. But that members of Con
gress were bribed, as originally stated
that is, that they consciously receives
stock as consideration for votes -ther
is no evidence whatever. Harper