Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-06-18

The Hon. Jeremiah S. Black Of Pennsyl-
vania is lifelong democrat While the
jealous democratic managers of the Globe
were yet in the republican party, or in no
party, Judge Black was Bourbon democrat,
with a record of more than a quarter OF a
century, as an uncompromising enemy OF re-
publicanism. lie is to-day one Of the ablest
men in the democratic party, and is one Of
the most acute and most experienced
lawyers in the country. For twenty-five
wears he has been familiar with Wash
ington affairs. In the Credit MObilier
suits he was the counsel of McCOmb,
and knew all about every matter con-
nected with that corporation. He had no
professional relation to General Garfield and
was his political antagonist. Judge Black,
however, is a man who appreciates character,
and for this reason he felt called upon as
fair-minded man, to write Speaker Blaine
letter relative to General Garfeld's alleged
connection with the Credit Mobilier. Judge
Black was present at the sessions Of the com:
mittee investigating the Credit MObilier ru-
mors. and upon its conclusion wrote the fol-
lowing letter, which we commend to our
readers:
PHILADELPHIA, February Is, 1878.
My Dear Sir: From the beginning Of the
Investigation concerning Mr.. Ames's use Of
the Credit Mo5iiier, IJciiered that General
Garfield was free from all guilty connection
rih that business. This opinion was found
ed not merely on my confidence IN has
integrity. but on some special knorledge of
his case. may have told you all about it
in conversation, but desire now to repeat it
by way of reminder.
I assert unhesitotingiythat. rhaterer Gen
erat Garfield may hare done or fo,eborne to
do, h. acted III profound ignorance of the
nature and character Of the thing uhich Mr..
Ames ras proposing to sell. He had not the
slightest suspicion that he was to be taken into
a ring organized for the purpose of defrauding
the public, nor did he know that the stock
was in any manner connected with anything
which came, or could come, within the leg
islativc jurisdiction of Congress. The case
against him lacks the Sciente1 which alone
constitutes guilt.
In the winter of lSG9-7O I told General
Garfield of the fact that his name was on
Ames list that Ames charged him with be-
irg one of his distributes; explained to him
the character, origin and objects of the Cred
it Moblier; pointed out the connection it had
with Congressional legislation, and showed
him how impossible it was for member Of
Congress to hold stock in it without bringing
his private interest in conflict with his
public duty. That all this was to him
a perfectly new relation l am as sure as
l can be of such fact, or of any fact which
is capable of being proved only by moral cir
cumsfances. He told me then the whole story
of Train offer to him and Ames's subse-
quent solicitation and his own action in the
premises, much as he details it to the COM
mittee. | do not undertake to reproduce
the conversation, but the effect of it all was
to convince me thoroughly that when he lis
tened to Ames he was perfectly unconscious
of anything evil. l watched carefully every
word that fell from him on tins point, and did
not regard his narrative of the transaction in
other respects with much interest, because in
my view everything else was insignificant. l
did not care whether he had made bargain
technically binding or not his integrity de-
pended upon the question whether he acted
with his eyes open. If he had known the true
character of the proposition made to him he
would not have endured it, much less en-
braced it.
Now, couple this with Mr. Ames's admis-
sion that he gave no explanation whatever of
the matter to Gen. Garfield, then reflect that
not particle of proof exists to show that he
learned anything about it previous to his con-
versation with me, and l think you will say
that 1t is altogether unjust to put him on the
list Of those Who knowingiy and riil}uiiy
ioined the fraudulent association in question.
J. S. BLACK.
Hon. G. Blaine, Speaker Of the House of
Representatives.