The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-03
IS COLFAX A PERJURER ?
THE SMILING SCHUYLER CAUGHT At
LAST.

|
LAST.
His Bank Account Tells q Startling
Story-The CircumstantinI Evidence
Against Him.
Correspondence OF the N. Y. Trlbune.l
WASHINGTON, January 2s.
The ruin of Vice-President Colfax is only q
little less complete than that OF Senator Pat
terson. Last week the Vice.Presldent stated
on oath to Judge Polands committee that he
had not received twelve hundred dollars from
Oakes Ames in June. 1868; that Ames's check
upon the sergeant-at-arms for that amount In
favor of "S. c." had never been seen ty him
that he was positive of this because he could
not possibly have received that amount of
money from any source without recolIeclng
1t. To-day, the books Of the First National
Bank OF Washington were produced, and Mr..
ColfaX's account was examined. There ap-
ppared a credit of $l96S 63, dated June %,
1858, two DAYS after the date of Ames's check
to IS. Cn on the sergeant-at-armS, aud one
day after that check was paid. This furnished
only presumptive proof of the deposit oil the
$1,000, but all doubt was removed when the
cashier produced q deposit ticket, bearing
MIR. Colfax's signature, In which the $l968 63
was itemized, $1,000 being cash, and the re-.
mainder checks or drafts. The circumstan-
tjal evidence In Mr.. Coifax's case Is, there
fore, complete. Mr.. Ames swears that he
drew a check on the sergeant-at-arms In favor
of "s c." for $1,000, on June 20, 1868, and
gave 1t to Mr.. ,Coltax,, In payment OF the
| Credit Mobiier dividend. The sergeant.at-
arms produces the check dated June 20, and
shows that it was cashed on the 2lst, and
! charged 10 Ames's account. On the 22d MIR.
| Coliax deposits exactly $1,000 10 cash 10 the
bank. Now. unless he can prove that he re-
ceived the $1,000 from some other source, his
case Is hopeless, and he cannot escape yer-
dict of guilty OF false swearing.
The Proposed Impeachment OF Vice
President ColfaI.
Washington Correspondence Baltimore SUM-
It is undenisble that the recent testimony
before the Poland Credit Moblier committee,
Including particularly that given to-day,
places the Vice. President In very awkward
position before Congress and before the coun-
| try. It is very certain that perjury has been
| committed by some one, and painful as 1t may
| be to give utterance to such suspicion, 1t is
| a fact that not few of those who have been
among the warmest personal and political
| friends OF the Vice. President are not sat.
isfied as to which party this crime can be
fastened upon. The Vice. President expresses
the utmost confidence In his ability to clear
himself entirely of all damaging charges and
suspicious. 1t is now very plain that the op-
portunly which he asked Of The Senate to-
day can be afforded him by no other process
very thick about the Capitol this afternoon that
the motion to impeach the Vce.Prpsident
would certainly be made In the House oil Rep
resentatives. The general Impression that no
movement to this end can be made by The
House in advance Of the report OF its commit
tee Is erroneous. The Investigation into the
Credit Mobiier being conducted with open
doors, all the statements which have been
made duplicating Mr.. Coliax and others are
matters vi common notorieiy. It is therefore
within the province OF any member Of the
House to rise In his place, reclte the alega-
tions against Mr.. Colfax, and move for lnstruc-
tions 10 the Judiciary committee 10 report
articles OF Impeachment.
The eyice-President's Fail.
From the New York Tribune, EdltorIal.l
Unless Vice.Presldent Colfax can break
through the web OF circumstantial evidence
which has gradually cufolded him, we see
nothing before him but moral ruin. In the
new ASPECT of the case, the question OF bile
connection with the Credit Mobilier scandal is
no longer the chief one; 1t Is overshadowed
by anoLner, which affects his character lor
honor and veracliy. The astounding develop
ments in the Credit Mobier investigation,
",
President TO show, If he eau, that he has not
sworn falsely. The circumstances are these:
Mr.. Coliax denied that he had received GER
tain specified didldend Of twelve hundred dol
lars on Credit Mobilier stock. Mr.. Ames
swore positively that he gave the Vice-Presl-
dent check on the house sergeant.at-arm
for that amount. The check, dated June 20,
1868, is produced; 1t was paid June 2l; Mr..
ColiaX's bank account Ia examined and 1t is
found that on June 22, 1868 he deposited the
precise amount OF twelve hundred dollars In
bauk notes; and, as If 10 emphasize the ihct OF
the deposit, the whole amount OF 1t Wea speci-
fed to be nineteen hundred and siyty-eight
dollars and slxty-three cents, of which all but
Twelve hundred dollars was IN checks. The
fatal sum stands by itsel:.
We have not The heart to comment at
length on this apparently utter and deplora-
BILE fall. We hope, for the sake of the pure
name which Mr.. Colfax has 80 long borne be-
lore the country-tor the sake of the country
itself we hope-lhat he may yet be able to
break down this damning wall Of clrcunstan-
tlal evidence which has slowly encrcled him.
The only way of escape Ia to prove that the
1920 deposited on June % was received from
some other source than the agent of the
Credit Mobpr Association. The Vlce-Presi.
dent has TOO often spoken of his accurate bn-
siness habits. his limited income, and his
faithful recollection of all details of his
small private Uusluceo uuI W udhc
this means of escape easy, If 1t is
possible. He could not readily forget
the disposition of twelve hundred dol
lars 10 notes II he received them; he could
not forget their receipt. 80 far as we can see
now, unless Vice President ColfaX can account
for the twelve hundred dollars deposit, the
evidence must be accepted as conclusive, and
he stands before the country iorsworn and
dishonored; led on to false-swearl0g by the
slender thread of a first weak, lrresolnte and
Juggling denial. The figure which he assumes
is melancholy one, full OF warning and pro-
foundly pitifu. Unless there be some door OF
escape In this seemingly adamantine wall OF
proof-for which We shall still hope, although
the chance seems 30 slight-the world is the
poorer Tor this loss of one more shining eX-
ample of public virtue.
Was This Business:
From the New York TrIbune-Edltorlall
Senator Logan has been great deal more
fortunate than many OF his comrades In the
Credit Mobilier business, because he has not
lied about 1t. But his testimony Illustrates so
perfectly the nature OF Mr.. Ames's transac-
tlons with members of Congress, and destroys
80 thoroughly the preteDce that these dealings
were perfectly legitimate. that we must take
the liberty of still using Mr.. Logan to point
moral and adCrn tale. He tells us that he
agreed to take ten shares of Credit Moblller
stock at par. This was 10 February, 1863 II
paid nothing to Mr.. Ames at that time. and
received no stock. On June 20 following
Mr. Ames came TO me and said this stock
ALTA t-tI