The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-03-08
The wretchsd Conclusion.

independent paper, says when the Pc.
land Credit Mobilier report was pub
lished it was received by the country
with disappointment and dissatisfaction.
because it provided for no censure and no
punishment for any Of the guilty Congress
men, except the resolutions for the expal-
sion Of Messrs. Ames and Brooks. The
country protested against the attempt to
condone the scandalous corruption and
enormous frauds upon the Government
developed in that report by the sacrifice Of
two "scape-goats. This expression sprung
impulsively to the lips of every honorable
man who had followed the evidence through
the long catalogue of evasion, subterfuge,
falsehood, and worse, to which the impli-
Gated parties were driven, in the vain
effort to hide their guilt. But the action
OF the House of Representatives yesterday
falls short even of the Disappointing report
ofthe Committee Even the Escape. goats
were not sacrificed, Weak, partial and
imperative resolutions of censure were
passed, und this was the lame and impotent
conclusion ofa long inquiry, which disclosed
every day how the Government had been
plnndered Of scores Of millions Of dollars,
through the direct active agency Of some
members of Congress and the guilty con-
niyance and participation of Others.
1t Is a vain thing for Congress or any
one else to attempt to conceal the con-
spicuous features Of the corrupting trans
actions in which every one Of the members
who bought the Credit Mobilier stock
was engaged In the first place, Congress
had voted twenty-seven millions of dollars
to the Union Pacific Railroad, together
with whole principality of land Then
this company was constantly and soon
tinuously' interested in legislation before
Congress, either to get favors, to free it.
self from its obligations, or to prevent
other legislation compelling it to do its
duty aud holding it to accountability.
There has been no Congress since 1867
where it was not interested in this way.
The corrupting agent of this railroad com
pany was the Credit Mobilier-a was the
company under another name-a cunning
device by which the managers of the rail-
way company, under the disguise Of u
contracting company, could plumber the
other stockholders and rob the Govern
ment at the same time. The managers
and manipulators Of the two concerns are
the same persons Throughout, although they
sometimes appear as railroad directors and
ut others as contractors. This company,
composed in part Of men who were then
land some Of them now members of Con-
gress, appeared on the floor of the National
House of Representatives in December,
1867, with budgets of Credit Mobilier
stock to sell to the leading members.
No money was needed to pay for this stock.
The rich dividends of sixty and eighty per
cent paid for it in advance. There were
two such dividends within few months.
This in itself was sufficient to warn of
any honorable man. No man-certainly
no corporation--goes about seeking buyers
for stock paying such princely profits
unless there is some sinister purpose in
view. But there were two other reasons
why the members approached by Ames
and Dunnt should have repealed their
advances. These profits were derived from
Company that had been the recipients
Of millions of the public money; and there
was legislation then pending IN that month
oil December, 1901 IN which that Com
pany was deeply Interested. But not
outstanding these suspicious overtures of
Anes' IN virtually giving away thousands
ana thousands OF dollars ofProhtabie stock
ana In spite OF the knowledge OF the rela-
tons OF the Union Pacihc to the Govern
meni' ana also IN spite OF the pending
'sSisiation' winch should nave aroused the
dormant sense oil honor IN every one OF