Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-28
GREAT M0BILXER xo. 3. -
Report Of the 9e0aae Special Conn

mltBRes d.
THE RxPULsIoS or sKKAroR PATTERSON RE-
eoMNENDED-sENATOR HARLAN CEHsuRED,
AND SENATOR'S CoNELIse, LOGAN AND WILL
eON ACQUITTED. k-- = ..t
In the Senate, last etening, Mr.. Morrill,, Of
NJ aine, chairman Of the select committee TO
investigate the credit mobiiier charges against
certain Senators, presented the unanimous re-
port Of the committee. The report gives brief
OF the testimony taken by the Senate and Po-
land cOmmittees with reference TO Sen&tnrs
Logan, Conkling, Wilson, Harlan and Patter'
son. 1t then details with considerable particu-
larity the operations OF Senator Patterson with
oaass Amss as ,s shown y the The
are thus given in the report:
SENATOR eoNkLiS8 BLANELEss.
It will appear By glance at the evden Sc
taken before the Committee of the House OF
Representatives that Senator Conklin is in no
M, manner affected thereby ON The contrary
any time the owner Of or in any wav interested
in the stock, or otherwise connected with the
credit mObilier or the L Mon Pacific railroad
company; and this is still further cOnfirmed by
his statement before the committee.
SENATOR LOGAN ACQUITTED.
Senator Logan vas not a member of this body
at the date OF the transaction referred TO in the
communication from the House Of Representa-
tives. While Mr.. Ames may have designed to
influence the subsequent action of Mr.. Logan
as Representative in Congress, there is no
proof that MI. Logan had any knowledge of
such a purpose On the contrary, it appears
that as soon As he discovered that difficulty was
likely to arise i'm the transactions Of the credit
mobilier. and but a few days after he received
Mr.. Ames with interest. The testimony does
not affect him in any sense which would cali for
the action of the Senate, IL il possesses jurldc-
ton over acts happening before his election to
the Senate-a question on which, under the
finding Of the committee, il is unnecessary to
express our opinion.
SENATOR WILSON vrNpIcATEp.
The transaction stated in relation TO Senator
Wilson in the evidence referred to this COM
mittee dsclOses An investment by him on behalf
OF his wife of two thousand dollars in credit
fDobilier stock at the instance OF Cakes Ames.
AND by the advice OF friends. Whether the
transaction is or is not in law to be regarded as
that OF his own or that OF his wife In not deemed
material. IL is certain that the money invested
was contributed by friends to his wife, that he
treated IL As belonging to her, considered the
investment for her benefit, received no per-
sonal advantage or benefit from it, and the
money was finally repaid to and disposed Of by
her. Mr.. Wilson does not appear TO have been
well informed as to the character OF the credit
mobiher, nor does it appear that he was aware
or had reason to suspect that Ames had any
object in commencing the investment other
than that OF friendship.
The committee do not believe that Senator
Wilson is affected by the transaction with Mr..
AMes; but they feel constrained to advert, in
this connection, To the fact that, on the 18th of
September last, Mr.. Wilson authorized to be
sent to the public press of New York. dispatch
which in effect, is regarded as All unqualified
denial that he had ever obtained rom Cakes
Ames or any other person the slightest interest
in the credit mObilier, and to remark that the
dispatch was calculated to convey to the public
an erroneous impression.
SENATOR HARLAN CENsCRED.
The evidence relating to Senator Harlan
shows transaction in 1866, while lac was Sec
rotary vi the Interior department The trans
action was not in its nature continuous, and it
does not appear to have Influenced his acton
Senator since his election, or that il was 50 in
tcnded and however strongly the committee
would deprecate the use of money for purposes
for which in this case it was contributed and
used, and with whatever judgment they would
visit any and all attempts by the free use OF
money to control the popular expression, they
do not perceive that the conduct OF Senator
Harlan Is affected by the testimony. Tie COM
mttee cannot. however, refrain to remark upon
the fact that DR. Durant, the vice president or
the Union Pacific railroad company, a corporate
creation OF Congress, which would probably be
again the subject of legislation. contributed
slo.mO with the avowed purpose OF its being
used in securing the election Of Mr.. Harlan to
the Senate OF the United States, he being at tie
time OF its receipt the Secretary of the Interior.
SEVERE ANIMADvERsIoN.
This disclOses an evil upOn which the commit
tee cannot too severely animadvert. The use
OF large sums of money To influence either popu-
lar or legislative elections strikes directly at
the fundamental principle OF republican gov
ernment 1t excludes merit from public place
and undermines the public and private virtue,
stand. 1t cannot be concealed that it is Oae OF
the threatening dangers to the permanence of
the government, and one which calls for the
popular rebuke, which can come only and
should come speedily from the united voice of
the various citizens OF the republic, uttered at
every stage OF governmental action, from the
lowest TO the highest. While this receipt and
use Oh money Is open to censure, the evidence
adduced to prove that Senator Harlan was in
duced by the gift thus made to him failed to es-
tablish any such results
THE CASE OF SENATOR PATTERSON.
HE report then returns to the case of Sena-
tor Patterson. and after referring to his state
ment before the House and Senate committees,
says: "The committee find in the statement
of Mr. Patterson before the committee of the
House OF Representatives as before this COM
mittee, contradictory relation of the transac-
tons between himself and MIR. Ames; suppress
sion OF material facts and denial OF other facts
which must have been known to him when first
called before that COMM ttee."
THE EXPULSION OF SENATOR PATTERSON RE-
.. COMMENDED.
AFTER ailuding to other omissions and denals
by Senator Patterson, the report closes as fol-
lows: The committee can not escape the cOnclu-
sion that Mr.. Patterson, being Senator of the
United States, in 1861 contracted with Cakes
Ames, then and still member Of the House OF
Representatives. for the purchase Of so shares
IN the stock OF the credit mObilier OF America,
lat rates greatly below its estimated value, and
subsequently came into the possession OF the
same, that he received the dividends which
were from time to time declared thereon; that
IT
Ames TO large amount in the stock and bonds
OF the Union Pacific railrad company for the
purpose OF profit, and disposed Of the same in
the stock markets of New York, with the
knowledge Of the character of the credit mobi-
Tier and its relations to and connection with the
Union Pacific railroad company; and further,
that he had knowledge Of the interest OF Mr..
ames and his connection with SAIL companies;
also, that the object N Mr.. Ames i'm thus deal
ing with him was to secure his friendly recogni-
) ton OF TIE interests of said company and his
own interests therein, and to inf uence his action
as Senator in matters of leg islation affecting
the same; and further. that, being inquired Of
in relation thereto before committees Of both
branches Of Congress, he gave a false account
Of the transaction between himself and Mr..
Ames, expressing material facts, and denied
the existence OF other material facts which
must have been known to him, the committee
have reached . conclusion, after the most at
tentve consideration and anxious delibera-
ton, WHICH they would tain wish were other
wise, but which sense OF duty compels them
to declare. They submit the following resOlu-
ton: hEs@ l1Il'!E = -
Resoired, That James w. Patterson be. and
ne is hereby, expelled from his seat as q mem
Der OF the Senate. sEs
Cross" TWEED this morning went IN the
court OF oyer and terminer and gave bonds tn
2nSWo the addiftoual is.x1;o<.,,