The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-21
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1878
The Crctiit-Ho5isicr CorruptiOn-Com.
neDts of the Press On the Report OF
the Investigating Committee.


ments of the Press on the Report OF
the Investigating Committee.
The leading journals Of the country seem
| to be almost unanimous in expressions OF
| dissatisfaction with the report of Judge Po-
lands committee in reference to the Credit
| ifobiier scandals submitted to the House Of
| Representatives Tuesday. The objections
generally urged against the report Is that all
Of the guilty participants in the corruption,
instead Of only two, were not recommended
| for punishment, while many of the Journals
press the point that the committee have
stultifed themselves in failing to make some
| report upon the case of Vicc-fresident Col
fax. We make the following extracts:
(From the New York Hcralt-Indcpendent-)
| 1t is singular document, and one which
will be read with equal surprise and disap-
pointment by the honest portion of the COM
munity. A single fact sweeps away III an in
slant the whole mass Of false reasoning and
| fraudulent pleading in regard to the excul-
pated congressman. The stock was taken
by some Of the members in December, 1861,
and by Others in january and February,
| 1863. In some Instances at the very moment
Of purchase, and in all cases within two or
| three weeks after purchase these white
| washed congressman received eighty per
| l.ent. dividend on their shares in the first
| mortgage bonds and stock Of the Union Pa
cific railroad. II they did not know that they
| were bribed at the instant they com.
peted the transaction, the guilty knowledge
| must have come to them very soonafterwards.
Judge Poland and his associates stultify
| themselves when they argue that the kDowl-
| edge of the amount and character Of the diyi-
dends would he proof of guilt, and yet justify
| the men who held the stock and received the
| dividends in some cases for months and in
| others for years. The committee stultify
| themselves further when they suppress the
| evidence against Vice-presidcnt ColfaX and
| shrink from the responsibility of making an
| allusion to bis case. Their excuse is that Dir.
| Colfax is the presiding officer Of the Senate,
md as such is beyond their jurisdiction.
| Yet the keen aud subtly-rcasoning LAYERS OF
| the committee must be familiar with the Con.
| ,titution of the United States they must
know that the Eicc-Prcsident can be i'm
| peachcd and removed from office on conric-
| ion of treason, "bribcry," or other high
| crimes and misdcmcanOrs, and that III the
| House Of Representatives rests the "solc
power of impeachment"
| From the New York ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Re-
| publican.
| The committee has finished lis work and
| made its report, and resolution pcndS con-
taining the conclusion of its laborS. 1t is 4
| resolution which illustrates at once the fec
blencss Of the inquiry and the tremendous
| force Of the political organization that con-
| frollcd and drectcd-Scs, cnIasculatcd-it.
1t is fitting resolution; very proper isStlc
Of an inquiry that had but one object-to
wit. to complement the presidential cam
paign of 1872 with verifcation and indorsc-
ment of the methods by which it was car
ried. 1t fits the case admirably: it is entirely
IN keeping with history. II insults the
honesty and intelligence of Congress, Us the
honesty and intelligence of the people were
insuted during The canvass. 1t is just such
/ sham aud cheat as the dcnials that were
Ienials. and the disclaimers that were not
disclaimers were during the heat OF the cam
paign. ... ...
ine l5ibane here rccapitulatcs the names
,f all who participated III the Credit Mobi-
lier stock transactions, with summary OF
| the circumstances in each casc, and concludes
as follows:
"Wcil, the wickcdGess Of all of it is not
| bat these men were blibad or corruptly III
tiucnced, but that they betrayed the trust OF
| the people, deceived their constituents. and
by their evasions and falschoods confessed
the transaction to be disgraceful. And now
la whole Congress OF grown men is TO dellbe-
rate seriously upon resolution that puts the
,inS Of all these upon two. Partisanship has
never stopped so low as this before. We
cannot believe the resolution will pass. No,
gentlemen of the American Congress. this is
no answer to the people. Stop all this. Pass
no resolution. Drop it where it is. Remand
the whole business to the people. You have
only scratched the surface OF the whole in.
quiry; leave it now. Face outward
! March,"
From the New York Word-Democrat.I
We do not deny that Brooks has com.
| nitted 4 breach Of trust and Amcs has pros
tituted his place. But what are the offences
of either Of those men i'll the eyes of q tri-
| bunal which is not court Of law, but &
court of honor, compared with the crasions
of Garfield and Kelley and Dawes, the men,
dacity of Patterson, the quibbling of Wilson,
the incflub!c and shameful mcanncsS of Col
fax in taking to one refuge OF lies after
another. II is dramatically appropriate that
he should be hunted out OF his last hole,
us he was yesterday, just when the com
mittee before which he had been twist.
ing and turning and eyading and palliat.
ing for so many weeks was preparing
to bring him in guiltless. The report
of the committee is mockery Of justice,
and disgrace to the men who drew it and
the body which has not the spirit TO reject
In everything which Oakes Ames did fol
which il is proposed to cxpel him, some Re
publican congressman was partaker of the
crime. For everything which james Brook:
did for which it Is proposed to eXpc him
4 ck.,p lal Il
in the act OF some Republican congressmas
the resolution. The committee have indeed
administered a warning to congressman
But The verdict in the case Of Oakcs Amcs i.
Il warning to corrupt congressman aS1ins
turning States evidence. The verdict in tn,
case of James Brooks is a warning to corrup
congressman against being Democrats. Thi>
it is, and nothing more.
rerom the New York Times Presidents organ
We agree with the committee that
knowIclca of the relation of the Credit
Mohilier to the Union Pacific railway woul(
have made tue holding of that stock BY
member of Congress dishonorabe act. W.
do not agree with the committee in its lcnien
assumption that such knowledge was no
nossesscd hv the congressman who pur
chased the stock. If they did not know it!
chorocter they must have been curiOusly dea
and blind to what was going Oh about them
With those who knew anything about thu
Union Pacific railroad in the winter of 1861
the purpose and origin of the Credit-Mobilel
were so well known that they may fairly bt
said TO have been notorious. Certainly con
gressmeu who took stock in scheme tc
cheat the Government, under these circum
stances, deserve some well-defned measure
of condemnation, and we regret that the
committee recommended none We tr1lS1