New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-22
CREDIT MOBILIER CRAFT.
HOW A FIRST MORTGAGE BECAME A SECOND.

HOW A FIRST MOkIGAGE BECAD1E n obNOND'
A LEAF OF CONGRESS HIsToRY-THE PACIFIC
RAILROAD BILL OF 1854.
tPRoy AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNBl
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.-Thc Credit Mobilier
scandal could never have existed had IL not had for
base that most extraordinary bill which ever passed an
American Congress entitled An act TO amend an act TO
aid I'm the construction Of railroad line from inc MIS-
sour River TO the Pacific Ocean. and to secure to the
Government the Of the for postal military ana
other purposes" approved July !, 1852.
This gigantic scheme OF plumber bribery robbery ana
fraud WAS conceived in the Summer and Fall or l5oJ
The Congress met Monday, the It'll day OF DecemDer
1868 Schuyler Colfax Of Indiana was elected Speaker
The "ironclad oath was administered to MN Dy MI
Washburne OF Illinois, the Father OF the House. III Tue
new House wero many men Of conspicuous aDhty' MI
Thaddeus stevens of Pennsylvania called by his friends
the Great Commouer" the acknowledged " Ieader
of the House." well by his ability as by virtue OF MS
position as Chairman OF the Committee OF Ways and
Means. Mr. Stevens then in health ana vlgor' anu
welded an influence in the House superior TO that ever
exercised by any member Of that body or rare aDy'
great experience, bold. dashing, reckless, skul III ue-
hate and terrible in inycctiye and sarcasm, only rev
men in tho House cared TO grappe with him, such as
Washburne of Illinois, Holman Of Indiana, spaldlng OF
Ohio, and Randall Of Pennsylvania. Among the mem
bers OF this House Will be found many well-knoWh
Names There Blaine aud Pike from Name MorrlI
Of Vermont, william b. Washburn, Dawes, Boutweh,
Rhode Island Deming OF Connecticut, Keenan, Girls
wold Brooks Pruyn, Fenton and Ganson of New-York'
Randall, Kelley Thaddeus Stevens, Scoteld and DaW-
son of Pennsylvania, PendletOn, Schenck, Garfield
spading and Cox Of Ohio, Yeaman and Wads"orth OF
Kentucky. Holman Cofax, Orth and Voorhees, OF lndl-
diana, Washburnc. Arnold, owen Lovcjoy and James u
Allen of Illinois. Beaman of Michigan, Wilson, Price ana
Allison OF Iowa, Edrdgc OF Wisconsin, Cole oil Cauior
MIA, and Window OF Minnesota.
nun TAt COMMITTEE AND TTs CHAIRMAN.
Tie jobbers and lobbyists had planned their campaign
with great skill and care and they were on the spot In
the opening Of the session On the 18Th day OF
December, 1868, Mr. stevens, from the Committee Of
Ways and Means reported certain resolutions for the
distribution Of the Presidents message" and one of
those resolutions provided for the appointment by the
Speaker Of IA Special Committee of 10 on tho Pacific
Railroad. On the following day the Speaker announced
the Special Committee. and it is due to the gentlemen
that their names should be known to the country:
stevens Of Penn Chairman, Donnely Of Minnesota
Steele OF New-YOrk, Steele OF New-Jersey,
Price of Iowa McClurg of Missouri,
Cole 81 California, Odkes Ames Of Mass,
Noble of OHIO, 1caindn OF kentucky
Sweat OF Maine.
On the 18th February 1854 Mr.. Stevens reported the
Pacific Railroad bill to the House, and il referred TO
the Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the Union
On the 81 OF June, Mr. Stevens finding that he could not
well get at his previous bill which had been referred 10
the Committee Of the Whole, reported another Pacific
Railroad bill aud moved that it be made special order
in week from that day, and from day to day until dis
posed Of Mr. Holman Of Indiana objected aud the order
was not made as it required unanimous consent. Being
defeated in that attempt the 9th OF June Mr.. Stevens
reported the BILL which the Speaker decided would come
up as unfinished business the next day.
THE PREPARATIONS BY THE LOBBY.
Mr.. stevens having procured his bill TO be made
special order the 10th day OF June. determined
that would be better undertake the job Of passing
at night session. Those who familiar with the way
in which legislative jobs "put through" Congress-
know that night sessions are always deemed the most
favorable. The bill had been thoroughly lobbied by all
the means known TO the most skillul. There
longer question az TO the passage Of the b but some
Of its provisions monstrous that many timid
members declined voting for it in the Yeas and Nays 1t
was known that two three members intensely
hostile to the BILL Wlshburne Illinois and Holman Of
Indiana were rcckoned upon as certain 10 give trouble
by their violent opposition, by resOrting TO datOry
camo a matter Of the first importance that the House
should be rendered unanimous for the hi that there
would not De enough members in opposition call the
Yeas ana Nays; and the manipuators addressed them
seyeJ to that object On the 10Th day Of June, the bill
first brought mp BIZ Mr stevens, who offered certain
amendments. IN amendment was offered by Mr..
Holman OF Indiana declaring the road to be public
highway and that the road should transport the troops
and property OF the Uncl states free OF toll aud other
charges. 4 discussion followed, leaving M Holman,
who had been making able speech, entitled 10 the
floor when the bill should next come mp. Acr debate
OF hour the bill went to future day ITS friends
then giving that the time IL came up they i'll
tended "tO put it through"
THE NIGHT WHEN TIE BILL WAS PUT or IT'S PASSAGE
The hour Of final trial came Tuesday night June
1854 Ola members OF the House still speak Of 1t as
most extraordinary scene. In tho House, few years
aferward, Mr. Washburne OF Illinois made a graphic
speech that lives in the memory OF all present which
lie described the scenes Of that night session. The Capt.
The lobby had packed the galleries ana the eded
ridor" All the Goorbcepers, clerks and Otheremployes
OF the House hal been seem and were marshaled by
VIM :. King, the Postmaster Of the House. Some effort
made in the early part OF the evening to keep out Of
the hall all persons who were not privileged Among
tine privileged persons present were many ex-members
of Congress- called from dneroHt parts OF the country
having me privilege OF the moor ana an acquaintance
with members aud knowledge OF the rules they are
considered by jobber the best Of all lobbyists. But
the evening wore o. and Tue debate IN the House be-
came exciting the dOorkccpcr5 rclX"d their vigilance
aud the hail Of the House was hed with lObbymen
vino boldly came IN and occupied the vacant seats OF
the members.
TACTICS 10 CUT OFF OPPOSITION.
At 1880 the Speaker took the char. The proceedings
of this celebrated session will be found in The Congress
sioual Gobc Of the XXXYIIIth Congress, vol ., page
3,l4s But the report The Gio6e gives adequate
idea Of what took place during that sitting. While Mr.
Washburnc Of Illinois resisting the passage OF the
bill by making dilatory motions, and the House was
likely to be found without quorum, Mr. CoaX suddenly
left the Speakers chair and called Cen Schenck of Ohio
TO take his place temporarily, being man, az 1t was
said not afraid TO take the respOnsbllly In order
address the Speaker more readily Mr. Washburne had
left his own seat and gone down to seat still further in
front. On making an important motion, question OF
order raised upon him. that he could only address
Speaker from his own seat and the question was
instantly sustained by the occupant OF the chair. Mr..
Washburne prOtcs ted energetoay against the decision
ms unheari Of and proposed tOappea but he not
IN seat the Chair refused TO entertain his appeal
He then started back TO mis- own seat % make his notion
amid the eers Of his fellow members and the lobbyists
Occupying seats IN the hall Before he could there
however the floor had been assigned 10 friend OF the
bill aud Mr.. Washburne was thus cut off from making
his motion.
Very after the House was called to order the
Great CommOner' came into the hall. He fine
spirits, and as he advanced TO his seat, smiling to the
members as he passed them there was movement IN
the galleries and buzz OF Appreciation in the hail.
Conscious Of his power and OF his control over the
House. he permitted some diminishing to 20 with APP
parent indifference. Mr. Holman entitled to the
in Int hn nf In In Mr. nsllh-