Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-15
THE RUTLAND HERALD
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1878
THE BUILDER OF THE PACIFIC
RAILROAD.


thereof-has added another to the list of
its victims. For although he wanted
but eight months of the Psalmist's three
score wears and ten, after which mans
strength is but labor and sorrow, so soon
passeth it away, and he is gone, yet,
with his vigorous constitution, simple
habits of life and, hitherto, robust health,
he seemed to have years of life and work
remaining to him. Cakes Ames, late a
member of Congress from Massachusetts,
died at his residence in North Easton,
Massachusetts,, Thursday evening, May
Sth, 1873, surrounded by his friends and
family. This simple announcement
would, of itself, be sufficient to carry
with it the one lesson of the uncertainty
of human life and the vanity of all
earthly pursuits; it, also, shows how
one grave-perhaps unconscious-error
may, for season, blight the fair fame
acquired by life time of tireless ener-
gy, honest endeavor and good, hard
work. Following so soon after the
death of James BroolA and but little
more than two months otter the vote of
censure in the national House of Repre-
sentatives, it is apparent that with him,
as with Brooks, the iron still ranked in
his bosom, and that both, at that time,
received fatal wound. We have never
disguised our opinion of Cakes Ames,
the Credit Mobilier, or his connection
Herewith and with other members of
Congress. We believe-we know-that
the Pacific railroad is national blessing,
and indissolube bond of union between
the Atlantic and Pacific, and of imme-
date and continuing importance, not
only to the United States, but to the
world. We believe, as we have had oc-
casion to say heretofore, that it would
never have been completed but by the
exertions of Cakes Ames and the Credit
Mobilier. We will hazard another opin-
ion, that the profits of Mr.. Ames and
his coadjutors were not excessive, extra
ordinary or improper They were not,
in fact, larger than some, if not all, of
our merchants and shop keepers make
on certain classes of goods, and that,
too without running any risk. We do
not believe that they were larger than rail-
road contractors ordinarily expect to re-
ceive for building railroads through thick
ly populated and civilized States. In con-
sidering these profits and the honor of
these men, remember the situation of the
country in 1861, the demand for the rail
road, the inability of government to I'M
dertake the work, the failure of private
enterprise, the frightful dangers of row
ing bands of Indians, the immense
amount of capital involved, that these
men took the risk of losing all the CAPT
tai invested, and then ask yourselves if
it was dishonest and dishonorable in
Cakes Ames? Let it be remembered,
too, that all of Mr.. Ames' private means
were put to the risk, that he was COM
PEELED to suspend, and but for the con-
fidence of his creditors in his honor and
integrity, he would have died bank
rupt. Thank God he lived long enough
to prove to his creditors that their faith
in him was we'll founded, and to pay to
them the last dollar of indebtedness
principal and interest Do not misun-
derstand us, we are not speaking of the
general principle of Credit Mobilier, for
we should deeply regret to see them
come into general operation. We do
not believe in the suspension of the writ
of habeas corpus, yet we have defended
its suspension in certain cases, because,
in those cases, its suspension was right,
proper and for the safety of the people
So in this case, it was deemed by the
government and people of the entire
north, that the safety of the Union and
the welfare of the country imperatively
demanded the building of the Pacific
railroad. We know-and it is a univer-
sally admitted proposition = that the
road would not have been constructed,
even unto this day, without the aid of
Mr.. Ames and the Credit Mobilier.
There is, however, one act in MIR.
Ames' course, in connection with this
institution, that, in view of his yet I'M
covered grave, we approach regretfully
and sorrowfully. Our readers ALREADY
know our views upon the subject. We,
unhesitatingly endorsed the report of
Judge Poland, and condemned the ac-
ton of Congress thereon. We still re-
main of the same opinion. Justice to
the living forbids indiscriminate eulogy
of the dead. Although we may, in many
instances, let the dead past bury the
dead, and with them inter all save the
memory of the good, yet it is many
times necessary, in recounting the good
to, at the same time, recall the wrong,
that we may recognize our own fallibil-
ity, and guard against the rocks,
and avoid the shoals on which
our brothers stranded. Cakes Ames
has now passed beyond human judg
ment and is responsible only to the
Searcher of hearts from Whom motives
and intention cannot be concealed
While believing that, so far as man can
read motives and intentions, we were
justified in our opinions, yet with char
ity, recognizing our own liability to go
astray, let us reverently hope and trust
that his own explanation was correct,
and that he has passed unstained into the |
presence of his Maker and Judge The |
breath of SANDER has constantly assailed |
him, he has been looked upon, in some |
quarters, with distrust and suspicion, he
has suffered enough already for his I
wrong, let it now be forgotten, except
as warning to others, and let the due
need of praise be ascribed to him for
the good he has accomplished. One
SANDER against his name and fame has
been perslstently uttered in connection
with the ''back pay" matter. In the
presence of the uncoffined dead, let this
SANDER be retracted, for it is fact-as
every well informed person must know
that his vote was not given therefor.
His Congressional life of ten years, ex-