The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-03-06
CREDIT MOR.Iiap

iHe VARIOUS committees OF Congress- to
whiaA had been referred matters connected
with the Credit Mobilier scandal, have made
thalr reports. The Poland Committee, re-
commended the expulsion of aIessrs. Oakes
Ames, Of Massachusetts, and James Brooks,
Of New York, but report that there was not
sufficient evidence to inculpate other mem
bcrs Of the House, whose names had been as
ISOLATED with the affair. The report Of the
committee was not adopted by the House but
resolution censuring these two gentlemen
was passed. The resolutions Of censure Of
fsrod BY tIr Sergeant, Of California, were as
follows:
Resolved, That the House Absolutely coz
damns the conduct Of Cakes Anes, mem
Der Of this House, from Che State Of Massa
chusetts, in seeking to procure Congressional
attention to tho affairs Of corporation in
which he was interested, and whose Interest
directly depended on the legislation of Con-
gress, by inducing members of Congress to
Invest in the stock of said corporation.
Reso7ved, That the House absolutely con-
dsmns the conduct Of James Brooks, NOM
Der Of this House, from New York, for the
use Of his position Of Government Director
OF tbs Unlon Pacific Railroad and Of member
Of this House to procure the assignment to
himself CT faualy Of stock ia the Credit Mo
biiior OF America, q corporation having con-
tract with the Union Pacific Railroad, and
whose interest depended directly upen the
legislation Of Congress.
The proceedings Of Congress-, when the RS
| port was presented, are thus stated BY cor
respondent Of che Baltimore sua:
The FIRST question was on the motion to lay
the report Of the committee on the table. -
This was rejected by vote of59 yeas to 1854
nays. OF che SO affirmative votes Is were
democrats The total vote it will be seen,
was 223, and this is the largest vote ever ta-
ken 10 the A2d Congress. Messrs. Ames
Garfield, Kelly, Bingham, Brooks, Scofeld
aad Dawes were present, but they refrainsd
from voting, and it thus appears that there
were 230 member in the House-thc fullest
House that has been known this session. The
closest votes were upon the motion disoharg-
ing the committee, which was announced as
l04 yeas to | Il nays, and upon substituting
Mr. Sargeut's preamble and resolutions for
tho resolutions Of the committee. The vote
On this was is yeas to ITO nays. But the
excitement became intense when The votes
were taken first On the resolution condemning
Mr.. Ames, and next ca the resolution con
demnlng Mr.. Brooks. Ga the former CUES
ton Dir. Brooks voted 70, and this was the
oa'y case in which cue Of the gentlemen H.
eu'patea voted. Mr Amas did not return
the compliment, and vote ono" on the reso-
luton TO condemn Mr. Brooks OF the SO
negative votes 10 Mr.. Brooks case Il were
democrats. OF the IS negative votes in
Anes case II also were democrats.
The report Of the committee was not con-
cured in upon Che ground th.s many men.
bers di3 not regard the House "a having jE-
risdio;ion over transactions that occurred
dagiag preceding Congress. This reason
il tTanapagentlJ superficial. II they hsd
ret power to e-caeJ For alleged offences eon-
ulitsed sin past Congress, We cannot see
how they could have arrived at the couo!asian
that they had the power to csasare. THIS act
implies Jurisdiction, otherwise they coail have
caao!.l notlli7g.
Taa Morrill, committee made q report also,
and exou|pated Hons. John A Logan ana
Henry Wilson, bat recommended the ezpa!
sion Of Seuasor Patterson, Of ssv uamp-
shire
The esilsaes ~ to the .n:r gan ]ssnaa
lid not ia7oigs shonl IA q breaall osrep7e-
sentative daty, bat tbs oonolusioa IS dsawn
from facts ii 5ir Wilson'S case. that he
sausht to create an erroneous Impression OF
the public " ind.
We DO not beI:sTc that either Gen Logan
or saaator Wilson had au impure inten ton
about She whole matter. They we're IS free
from any intentional wrong in connection
with Credit Mobilier matter - any man who
had never heard Of it.
Ia the case Of Senator Patterson, we re-
garded his explanation Of his Transactions as
satisfactory, aad the report Of tho committee
took US by surprise, as it seemed to surprise
tae Senate Tia report was net adopted.
e--
NEAR THE TRUTH.
It is difficult matter to probe to the boz
tom Of the motives Of the members Of Cor
gress who are implicated 10 thc Credit Mobil-
Ter speculation We would much prefer be-
l;eving that there was 70 premeditated pur-
pose, with most Of them, to enter into the
business with bad intent But the develop
nents certainly go to show that they were all
convinced of wrong before the Investigation
ended. We think Ben Butler, who has the
biggest brain in Congress, and has peculiar
aptncss in hitting On truth and giving it in
cisive point, when he turns his attention in
that direction, has presented the true reason
of the matter. It was not SO much the guilt
of holding the stock and receiving the diyi-
dends, as it was in lying about it. In his
speech defending Ames,. he says:
Ii every man connected with the matter
had stood where Cakes Ames stood. said But
Ter, with Gods truth, this storm would have
blown over-aud would hardly have made q
| an ~ ool,;o,l cyrf.co T7hora ,7oc