The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-13
PENDLEroN.
His Faithful Stewardship of the Bow
Ter Estate Grave Injustice Done
Him.
Special. Correspondence Of the World.

tolerates or encourages a groundless accu- |
saton against the humblest person marks |
the degeneracy Of the people, and, while |
the conduct of all public men is q proper
subject of fair and just criticism, it is un-
manly to accuse without reasonable proof
Of guilt.
Recently the spirit Of accusation has
been rife in the land-in many instances,
it must be admitted, with much reason,
not unfrequently, however, upon very
shallow pretexts, and in yet other instances
without the shadow Of foundation.
Notably of this latter class is the effort
to sully the name of George II. Pendleton,
Of Ohio, a gentleman now in the meridian
of life, whose life and conduct have hither
to been marked by the incest observance
Of every private and public duty, and
whose name was the synonym OF all that
was truthful, generous, manly and patriotic.
The effort to attach blame and public
disapprobation to Mr.. Pendleton in the
matter of his connection with tie
payment of the Kentucky Central Rail
road claim has not been without its
effect upon the name and prospects of that
gentleman. So many public men who
have been accused have been found guilty,
that many are willing to regard accusation
and guilt as one aud the same thing. This
is ungenerous-it is cruel-and i'll becomes
a people who profess to love truth and
justice. / have taken pains to investigate
the story thoroughly, and shall now state
the facts as | have them on the very best
authority.
Mr.. 4. B. Bowler, who married the
sister of Mr.. Pendleton, was at the in
aguration of the late civilwar the principal
L. Ra;l
connecting Cincinnati with the interior of
Kentucky This road was largely used
from 1861 to 1865 for the transportation
of army supplies by the United States
The rates for government transportation
on railroads were fixed in 1862, by the
arbitrary action Of the government, at
certain 6gures-probably less than one
half the tariff of rates established by the
railroads; but 10 fixing those rates the
government officials expressly excepted
from the operation of their arbitrary action
such roads as, being within or near the
enemy's lines, we're liable to interruption
and injury by the forces of the enemy.
Among the roads embraced within the ex-
ception we're the Baltimore and Ohio, the
Louisville and Nashville and the Kentucky
Central-perhaps one or two others. To
the former two the government paid the
full tariff rates charged by those roads
respectively. To the Kentucky Central
there were paid, under protest by
that road, the government rates,
until in August, 1864, when the
United States, acting (as it appears from
the public records upon the recommen
dalton aud advice of the officers of the
federal army in Kentucky, advanced the
rates to the tariff fixed by the Kentucky
Central, From these rates Mr.. Bowler
generously deducted 10 per cent.
The claim which was paid to Mr.. Pen
dlcton for the Kentucky Central was for
the amount OF the difference between the
arbitrary rates fixed by the government
aud 90 per cent Of the tariff fixed by the
road and paid by the general public for the
period of time between the first day Of
May, 1862. and the first day Of August
1864; and the sum so paid added to the
sums heretofore paid by the government
under its arbitrary tariff, was materially less
than had been paid to the Baltimore and
Ohio and Louisville and Nashville for the
same service. There cannot be in my
judgment the slightest question as to the
justice Of the claim or the propriety of III
payment Its business was attested by
Colonels Swords and Dickerson by army
officers commanding in Kentucky, by AS
sistaut Quarter master General Thomas
in his report to the secretary of war undo
date OF December 8, 1863, and by Asslstan
Judge. Advocate VIM. Mckee Dunn, VIII
in a most elaborate and conclusive ARA
Of the facts upon which the claim wa
based, in report to the war department
adjudges judcially that the claim i
deemed to be reasonable and Just Nay
more, the validity and the reasonable
ness Of the claim were virtually ADMITTED
by the government in July, 1864, wher
it was ordered that from aut
after August !, 1864, the rates asked 70
by the company should be thereafter paid
1t has however, been claimed that Mr.
Pendleton is blamable because Of the larg
fee which it is admitted he received 70
collecting the claim, that in contracting 70
so large fee he was ungenerous toward
his sister and her children and his asso
ciates in the road. This, it would seem, j
matter alone for the parties interests
and with which the public has nothing I
do yet upon this point the parties in in
terest have spoken, and their testimony
conclusive. Senator Stevenson and Wn
Ernst, Esq, the president of the Norther
Bank of Kentucky, large owners in th
Kentucky Central, both of them genteme
OF large experience and great bushes
sagacity, testified before the committee {
congress that they, as well as all other
interested in the claim, were now and ha
been at all times perfectly satisfied wit
the contract with Mr.. Pendleton and tina
each and all of them approved fully Mr.
Pendeton's conduct in the premises
Mr. George p. Bowler, who is an active
capable business man, and very largely il
terested in the claim, was interviewed b
reporter of the Cincinnati Enquirer o
this subject. and is reported to have mad
the following pointed statement Of the cas-
from his standpoint:
II was member of the board of contrC
of the Kentucky Central railroad at tn
time the arrangement was made fixing hi
compensation Tor the collection of the clair
against the government, and it met wit
my hearty consent and full approva
My mother, in her own interes
and as guardian of the two minor children
was consulted, although that was nc
obligatory according to the articles of tn
association Of the Kentucky Central raj
road, and the arrangement was unhes
tatingy confirmed by her. The settl.
ment, AS made by Mr.. Pendleton to tn
board, was entirely satisfactory to us an
is now. My brother, now within fe'
months of his majority, has expressed hin
sell in the most positive terms as to tn
justice OF the compensation, and gives
his most cordial approval.
My father died July 4, 1864, and sine
hat L L