Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-22

AU G U 8 Z a.
MORNING, Feb. %. 1879
THE CREDIT MOBTLIER REPORT.

TIE CREDIT MOBTLIER REPORT.
The report of Judge Poland's Com
mittee is regarded with varying opinions.
Some pronounce it q fair report, some de-
nounce it as unfair. The severe virtue of
the New York Herald will be satisfied with
nothing but the expulsion of every mem
Der Of Congress who took Cakes Amess
bait, and the impeachment of Mr.. Colfax.
The New York Post, which is not so loud
" virtuous as the Herald, but for some
reason has better reputation for candor
and fair dealing, admires ''the calm, i'm
Impartial, and judicious tone in which it
" the report is written, its clearness OF
statement, its force Of argument, and its
''obyious desire to do justice to all parties
concerned" It remarks in the same ed
itorial that ''the journals who accuse it
"[the report Of partisanisn 90 not reflect
THAT two members Of the committee are
among the most decided democrats in
Congress, while the recommendation Of
expulsion strike equally at the two lead
ling parties Of the nation.
That Mr.. Ames ought TO be expelled
''seems to be an almost unanimous opin-
zion; he has been the Mephistopheless of
"the plot, the general tempter, the one
''who provided and prohered the bait (;
land if any one Of the others have fallen
Unto wrong it has been mainly through
"his fundamentally. Mr.. Brooks might
properly share his fate, save that Brooks
sis poor creature who has always been
$50 ready to barter his opinions that he
sis hardly worth noticing. His official
''life will soon end at any rate, and it will
add but little to the disgrace Of it, 10
those who are familiar with his tortuous
career to have it terminated in the way
proposed"
While the Post thinks the committee
manifested 3 proper discrimination in not
recommending the expulsion Of all the
gentlemen involved, nevertheless it holds
that they deserve grave censure and a
decisive rebuke. The Albany Journal
points out the distinction between the case
of Brooks and Ames and the others.
''Alr. Brooks it says, twas a Govern
"ment director. He was specially charged
with the protection Of the Government
"interests. He was fully aware Of the
mature OF all the transactions between the
Union Pacific road and the Credit Mo-
"blier Company which constructed it.
''IIe secured large amount Of stock in
"substantial violation of law, by virtue of
"his position, and had it entered in the
"name Of his son-in-law. The profit in
''his case amounted to nearly a hundred
Thousand dollars. He was in reality,
lone of the king operators, and belonged
"to the group OF Ames, Durant and the
associates who manipulated the matter.
"In other w ords, while specially charged
with the custody of the Governments
''interests, he was making tens ofthousand
"by his partnership in the Credit Mobilier
"plunder. The rest, so far as they were
"involved at all, were just on the surface,
land were caught by the net of Ames
"rather than themselves moving it. While
Crooks secured hundred and fifty
"shares, they took ten, and in one case
''thirty. While his profits were counted
"by tens OF thousands, theirs, even where
"they had any at all, reached only a few
"hundreds. While he knew the whole
character Of the operation, obtained a
Large grab and held it, they did not at
''frst understand it, some of them prompt
sly returned it as soon as they did, and
"none are shown to have been Influenced
"by it,"
Of Mr.. Ames's "rascality" the Journal
holds "there can be no doubt In seeking
'to place his stock among Congressman
she had an insidious purpose, which is
transparent in his published letters and
"in his whole operations. 1t is said, in
"reply, that if he was guilty of bribery,
"those he bribed were not less guilty.
"But there is no evidence that he did bride
anybody, unless that body were Mr..
"James Brooks. What he had in mind in
"his operations was practically equivalent
"to it, but what those lie dealt with had
sin mind was entirely different. =
The difference between the two cases
land the righteousness of condemning