The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-03
TuP WRETCHED CONCLUSION.

THE WRETCHED CONCLUSION.
tFrom tho Philadelphia Ledger)
When the Poland Credit Aobilier re-
mort was published 1t was received by the
country with disappointment and ,disSat-
islaction, because 1t provided for no cen
sure and no punishment for any OF the
guilty Congressman, except the resolu'
ton for the expulsion oil Messrs. Ames
and Brooks. The country protested
against the attempt 10 condone the scan
dSlous corruption and enormous frauds
upon the government developed In that
report by the sacrifice Of two Escape
goats" This expression sprung impul'
sively to the lips Of every honorable man
who had followed the evidence through
tho long catalogue oil evasion, subteriuge,
falsehoOd and worse, 10 which the impli-
Gated parties were driven, in the vain Ell
fort to hide their guilt. But the action OF
the House Of Representatives yesterday
tails short even Of the disappointing re-
port Of the Committee. Even the"scape.
goats" were not sacrificed. Weak, par
tial and imperative resolutions OF censure
were passed, and this was the lame and
impotent conclusion Of long inquiry,
which disclosed every day. how the gov.
eminent had been plundered Of scores oil
millions Of dellars, through the direct,
active agency OF some members oil Con-
grVss and the guilty connivance and par
IlcipaLion OF Others.
II is 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 oil the mem.
bers who "bough" the Credit Mobtlier
stock was engaged. In the first place,
Congress had voted twenty.seven millions
OF dollars to the Union Pacific railroad,
together with whole principally OF
land. Then this company was constantly
and "continuously" interested in legisls'
ton before Congress, either to get tavors,
to free itself from its obligations, or to pre-.
vent other legislation compelling 1t to do
its duty and holding it to accountability:
There has been no Congress since 1857
where it was not interested in this way.
The corrupting agent ofthiS railroad COM
pany was the Credit Mobilier-it was the
company under another name-a cunning
device by which the managers OF the rail-
way company, under the disguise OF a
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 direc-
tors and al others as contractors. This
company, composed in part Of men who
were then land some ofthem now mem.
bCrs OF Congress, appeared on the floor ol
the National House OF Representatives in
December, 1867, with budgets Of Credit
Mobilier stock to "sell" ~ the leading
members. No money was needed to pay
for this stock. The rich dividends of six.
ty and eighty per cent paid for i In ad-
vance. There were two such dividends
within q few months. This in itself was
sufficient to warn OF any honorable man.
No man-certainly no corporation-goes
about seeking buyers for a stock paying
such prinCely profits unless there is some
sinister purpose in view. But there were
two other reasons why the members ap-
preached by Ames and Durant should
have repealed their advances. These
profits were derived from company that
had been the recipients oil millions Of the
public money; and there was legislation
then pending in that month Of December,
1857, in which that company was deeply
interested. But Notwithstanding these
suspicious overtures OF Ames, In virtually
giving away thousands and thousands OF
dollars OF profitable stock, and In spite oil
tho knowledge Of the relations Of the
Union Pacific TO the government, and
also In spite Of the pending legislation
which should have aroused the dormant
sense Of honor in every one of them, they
took the stock and awaited Of the profits,
Then came their mean, tricky, false
denials, shifts, evasions and last following
explanations, every change in which
showed more and more their own sense Of
their own culpability. There never was
an instance liz which men holding pub
lie trust were more thoroughly covered
with proof oil malleasance in office. The
guilty knowledge Of all these men was as
visible as the plumber Of the Government
moneys was stupendouS. And Congress
Furnishes all this by passing its partial res
olutiOns Of censure, letting the guilty go
FREQ upon the false pretense OF having no
Jurisdiction. This Is so transparent q
sham that 1t will command the belief Of
no one possessing the commonest intelli-
genCe. The majority oil the House OF
Representatives, evading their plain duty
in trying 10 wipe away the stain from
their dishonored iellow.members, have
fixed that stain upon the House itself,
without removing 1t from the guilty they
have tried 10 shield. 1868