Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-18


In dividends, is privilege only granted to
government directors. This stock was is.
sued 10 Mr.. Brooks himself, but his name
was quickly erased, and that Of his son.in.
law scratched in; but he received all the
dividends. He had, therefore, bought one
hundred and fifty shares Of the Credit
Mobilicr at par, then worth one hundred
per cent premium, and received with them
$4,000 in bonds Of the Union Pacific rail-
road and s25, 900 in stock. IL was clear
case of betrayal Of trust and Of the rccep-
ton Of bribes. The committee, therefore,
unanimously recommended his expulsion.
Had the vote on the expulsion Of Ames
and Brooks been taken the day tho report
was made, both would unquestionably have
been expelled. But the consideration Of the
report was put of till the following week
and before that time, the virtuous courage
of the House found time TO COOL The day
before the vote, General Butler astonished
the House by smuggling in a report from
the Judiciary Committee, denying the power
Of Congress to expel for acts done prior to
the last election. II is evident that this
question does not affect the guilt or inno-
cence Of the parties; it merely pleads the
Statute Of Limitations In this case IL
would so operate that Mr.. Ames, of the
House, who bribed, and who had been
elected two years before, would be acquitted,
while Mr.. Patterson, Of the Senate, who had
been brbed aud had been elected six years
before, would be found guilty. The report
Of the committee, recommending expulsion,
made a strong plea for justice and honesty
The report of General Butler, opposing cx-
pulsion, made no allusion to those great
principlesi it discussed the question solely
as a matter Of precedent 1t is worthy Of
notice also, that If their constituents con.
doned these gentlemen their offence by elect.
ing them anew, it was most unwittingly
done; for one and all at the time of the
election had solemnly denied all connection
with the Credit Moblier. The fact that
General Butler had taken fec of six thou
sand dollars from the company, and was pop
ularly considered the counsel of Mr.. Ames,
had some effect in diminishing the weight
Of his report and his subsequent speech.
The Committee of the House, of which
Hon. j. NJ. Wilson was chairman, chiefly
occupied its sessions with an investigation
Of the relations of government to the road
as the creator of its charter and the lender
Of its bonds; and especially with the use
its stockholders made Of those bonds. After
full examination Of the legal reports of the
way in which the stocks and bonds had
been emptied by millions into the pockets
Of the stockholders, the committee recon-
mended that suits in equity be instituted
by the Attorney General against the Rail-
road Corporation; against all who held its
stock that had not been fully paid for
against all who had received its dividends
on capital stock contrary to equity; and
against all who had received as profits the
property which equitably belonged to the
road. These broad provisions included al
most all who were connected with the Credit
Mobilier, and the House promptly passed
the bill. The Attorney General as promptly
commenced the actions; but it may be
doubted whether moneys salted down into
private properties half dozen years ago
can ever be recovered.
We have said that the committee, Of
which Judge Poland was chairman, had
recommended the expulsion of Ames and
Brooks. The debate on these recommen-
dations opened on Tuesday, February 25,
and continued two days and evenings and
part Of the third day A very powerful
argument in behalf of Mr. Ames was touch
ingly read by the clerk, during the reading
of which Mr.. Ames was more than once
seen in tears. The House was evidently
divided between the straightforward recti-
tude of Judge Poland's report, the strong
and ingenious pleas Of General Butler
against expulsion, and consideration for
fellow members, who had been Of their num-
Der for ten and more years. At length, on
motion Of Mr.. Sargent, Of California, the
House Of Representatives, by vote of one
hundred and eighty-one yeas to thirty-sx
nays, entered on its records, that it "abso-
lutely condemns the conduct Of Oakes
Ames, member of this House, from the
State Of Massachusetts, in seeking to pro-
cure Congressional attention to the affairs
Of a corporation in which he was interested,
and whose interest directly depended on the
legislation Of Congress" BY similar vote
Of one hundred and seventy-four yeas to
thirty-two nays, the House voted that it
absolutely condemns the conduct of james
Brooks, member of the House from New
York, for the use of his position as govern
ment director of the Union Pacific railroad,
and as member Of this House, to procure
the assignment to himself or family of stock
in the Credit Mobilier."
Attempts were also made to censuro
Messrs. Kelly, Hooper, and others; but it
was generally conceded that virtue should
be enient and so the Congressional curtain
dropped upon the scene. Mr.. Colfax re-
turned home to South Bend Mr.. Ames to
North Easton, both to be feasted by admir-
ing neighbors. Nobody was expelled; no
money was returned to the Treasury. The
character of two members of the House and
one Senator was politically ruined that Of
few others badly damaged that Of others
yet more slightly scorched; and then the
flames expired for lack of fuel. Strangely
enough both of the censured members died
soon afterward, within few days of each
other