Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-18
The Credit MObilier.
DEALINGS OF CONGRESS TurHrwrrn.

DEALINGS OF CONGRESS THEREwITn.
From an able article In seribnsr's Mogasia, 70
March, on the Credit Mobiler a. connected viii
the building Of the Pacific railroad and the actoi
Of Congress thcreupou, We mako the following OK
tracts touching tho work OF tho investigating Com
mttccsl
Itwasan extraordinary session--the most
extraordinary in our Congressional history
On its first day. the Speaker Of the House
descending into the arena, rose to a "ques-
tion Of priyiege-of the highest privilege
Alleging that his good name and fame had
been dragged into the recent political con.
test, aud had been sullied by false accusa-
tious Of enormous profits in the Credit
Nlobilier, he demanded a Committee of In.
yestigaton, the majority Of that committee
to be taken from his political opponents
From that day till the close of the session
scandal held high carnival in Washington.
The Vice President Of the United States,
the Vice-P President elect the Speaker of the
House, eminent Senators, were accused Of
giving or receiving bribes, Of lying, or at
least Of distorting the truth till it became a
lie. No mans character was safe. The
irst inquiry had been who owned the stock,
but in a short time its ownership was ad-
mitted, aud the great question became
who lied the most about it. Truth compels
US to admit that on this point Mr.. Amos
did not come off second best. And when
the fourth Of March arrived and the session
had closed, il was found that many had
fallen from their high estate, who, at its
commencement, had possessed the undoubted
confidence Of their constituents and of the
nation.
The legislators thus accused may be di-
yided into five leading groups The first
aud happiest group is composed of Blaine,
Of Maine; Elliott and Boutwell,, of Massa-
chusetts Conkling, of New York Bayard,
of Delaware, and Fowler, Of Tennessee,
who we're offered stock, accompanied with
Mr.. Amess guaranty Of its value, but who
refused it, The smell of fire never touched
their garments. Then comes smaller
group Wilson and Dawes, of Massachu.
setts, and Logan, of Illinois, who, learning
that lawsuits were hanging over the COM
pany, returned the stock and received back
their money with interest, neither making
nor losing by the Investment. Then come:
Hooper and Alley, of Massachusetts Bing-
ham of Ohio, and Grimes, Of Iowa, who
bought the stock aud received its dividends
but who never denied the ownership. How
gentlemen, who, as legislators, must have
been thoroughly conyersant with the source
Of their profits, and, as fnanciers, were
equally conyersaut with modes Of business
and how money is made, could receive five
hundred per cent. per annum from an in
yestment in building a railroad and yet moi
know that somebody was being plundered
is a matter of mystery; but it is a mystery
between them and their constituents. Fol
lowing these gentlemen come Garfield, o
Ohio SchoGeld and Kelly, of Pennsyl
vania Allison and Wilson, of Iowa, who
took the stock, but early became frightened
and returned it. How far some of thesC
gentlemen returned or retained their divi
dends is subject to such opposition of test
mony that we decline to enter upon tha
subject. 1t is perfectly safe to say tina
their character did not stand as high at tn,
conclusion Of the session as at its com
mencement. Last and saddest Of all in thi
procession come Colfax, of Indiana; Pat
tersoD, Of New Hampshire, and Brooks, o
New York, who took the stock, received it
profits, but denied or explained away it
ownership. Two Committees Of Investiga
tion were appointed by the House, and one BY
the Senate. That Committee of the House
of which udge Poland was chairman, chief,
attracted the attention of the country fo
its investigations concerned the pcrsonalite
Of the case, and the public mind looks more
to concrete personalities than to abstrac
justice. That committe, of which Hon. }
Nj. Wilson was chairman, inquired aftel
the property of the nation, the franchise O.
the company, and the use made of govern
ment bonds Both committees were com
posed Of able lawyers, and spent the whole
winter on this work. The Senate Commit
tee--Morrill, of Maine, chairman--exam
ined the charges against Logan, Conkling
Wilson, Harlan and Patterson, and reported
a resolution that James W. Patterson b.
and he hereby is expelled from his seat as
member Of the Senate" Fortunately fo
Mr.. Patterson, the pressure of public busi
ness was so great that no vote was reached
He remained a Senator till the conclusion
of the session, when his term expired.
The House Committee, of which Judg,
Poland was chairman, reported the facts il
the several cases, and recommended vote
of expulsion against Oakes Ames, of Mas
sachusetts, and James Brooks, of New York
1t was thoughtful and honest report, ant
was happily fortunate in its freedom from
party politics, for it was unanimously signet
by members of both political parties. Th'
report found that there could be no doub
that Mr.. Ames intended to bribe. He sole
or promised stock to gentlemen at par, whicl
he well knew to be worth large premium
His letters we're produced showing that h
dreaded investigation. awe want NOR,
friends in this Congress" and, therefore, h
put his stock "whero it will do the mos
good to as" This was bribery. Yet i
does not seem to have affected his genera
character. No one could have listened t,
his testimony before the committee withou
seeing that throughout the examination, an,
in the opposition Of his testimony to tina
of other members, be had the ear of tn,
committee. They believed his statements
and so does the community. His neighbor
in Easton, who must be supposed to know
him best, gave him complimentary dinner
where the chief sauce was the praise Of tina
noblest work of God--0akes Ames. III
to the time of his death he was the control
lino mind In the councila nf the IIninn PA