Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-05-04
PHILADELPHIA, April 81, 1876.

Uy Dear Sir. | have your letter, under
date New York, April II, 1876, stating that
the press of the country are making allega-
tions that certain bonds of the Little Rock
and Fort Smith Railroad purchased by the
Union Pacific Railroad Company in 1871 were
obtained from Hon. j. G. Blaine, OF Maine,
or that the avails in some form went to his
benefit that there never were any facts to
warrant them; that it is your desire as presi-
dent of the company to repel any such infer
ence in the most emphatic manner; and ask
ing me to make u statement in regard to the
matter.
In reply, beg leave to say that, much as l
dislike the idea of entering into any OF the
controversies that are before the public. in
these DAYS of scandal, from which but few
men in public life seem TO be exempt, feel 1t
nv duty to state:
That the Little Rock and Fort Smith bonds
purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad Com
pany in 1871 were not purchased or received
from Mr. Blaine, directly or indirectly, and
that of the money paid by the Union Paclnc
Railroad Company, or OF the avalls OF SAID
bonds, not one dollar went to Mr.. Blaine, or
to any person for him. or for his benefit in any
form.
All statements to the effect that Mr.. Blaine
ever had any transaction with me directly or
indirectly involving money or valuables OF any
kind. are absolutely without foundation in
fact.
| take pleasure in making this statement to
you, and you may use it in any manner you
deem best for the interest of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company.
Very truly yours, THOMAS A. SCoTT.
SIDNEY DLLoN, ESQ.,, President Union Pa
cific Railroad Company, New York.
And this closes the testimony have
wished to offer.
Several newspapers-some OF them,
from friendly motives-have urged
that | should ask for committee to
investigate these charges. | might
have done that and awaited the delay
and slow progress that inevitably at
tend all congressional Investigations.
Three and a half years agos1 moved a
committee to investigate the Credit
Mobiier charges, and though every
particle of proof, in complete exculpa-
ton of myself, was before the commit
tee in thirty-siX hours after its first
meeting, | was compelled to wait for
more than two months, indeed seventy
full days, before | got a public report
exhOnOrating and vindicating me from
the charges. If l had asked for COM
mittee to investigate the pending mat
ter, should have been compelled to
wait its necessarily slow action with
the charge all the while hanging over
me, undenied and unanswered; and,
pending the proceedings of an investi-
CATION which had myself asked, pro-
priety would have forbidden my col
iectins and publishing the decisive
proofs which | have now submitted.
For these reasons | have deemed that
the shortest and most expeditions
mode o! vindication was the one which
| was bound to choose by every !consid-
Grafton of myself personally and of my
official relations. l have not omitted
the testimony of single material wit
ness to the transaction of which the ac-
cusation against me is bassed, and un-
less 7 missapprehended the scope and
force of The testimony it leaves no
charge against me. Iu any and all
events, / am ready to submit the whole