Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-27
THE CREDIT MoeILIER.
Brief Recap ttsslatton Exploratory of the
Inquiry.
IN Sunl

N. Y. Sun.
Several correspondents, among them an
esteemed clergyman ill a neighboring town
of New Jersey, have requested US to answer
this question. They understand, we sup.
pose, the relations of Mr.. Garfield to the
Credit Mobilier: the broad relations of the
Credit Mobilier, to Congress and to the peo-
pie are less clear to their minds.
A few years ago the United States en-
dowed magnificently with its lands and
bonds, and many valuable privileges, a
company organized to build the Union Pa
oifo railway. When certain shrewd man.
ayers of this concern came to count up the
cost of the work and to cast up the assets
to be applied to it, they found an enormous
balance on the right side of the book. In
order to absorb this balance and transfer it
to their own pockets, they Immediately
proceeded to form an inside ring to build
the road. They bought an old Pennsylvania
charter called the Credit Mobiliur, which
was admirably adapted for the swindle in
view, and under that charter name began
the execution of one of the most remarkable
and successful frauds in history.
AS officers of the Union Pacific, the mem
bers of the Credit Mobilier contracted with
themselves for the construction of the line,
and fixed their own figures for the work
They thus stripped the Union Pacific OF
everything of value belonging to it, and sci
it over to the Credit Mobilier. With one
hand they robbed the treasury of the railway
company, and with the other they stuffed
| the plunder into the treasury of the con-
struction ring, whence it was distributed to
| the individual conspirators in the form OF
dividends of cash, bonds and stocks.
But the United States, in slight return for
its unexampled bounty, had taken first
mortgage on the property. This was incon.
venient to the ring. Having absorbed
everything else, they now desired to put q
| first mortgage on the road, and take the
| bonds of that also. But that could be done
only by getting rid of the first mortgage Of
the United States; that, again, could be
effected only by act of Congress. To simple
minded and honest men this would seem
like very difficult thing to accomplish; to
them it appeared easy enough. They sci
valuable stock of the Credit Mobilier-stock
which represented both the plumber of the
past and the plumber of the future-and gave
it to Cakes Ames, who agreed to "place il
where it would do the most good" He was
member of Congress, and was, mot upjustly,
supposed to know exactly how to employ il
in order to corrupt the sources of legislation.
With this corruption fund he bought the
Vice President. several senators and the
Chairman of the leading committees of the
House. Then, by the votes and influence OF
these men the desired legislation was had,
and new field of pillage was laid open to
the ring, in which the government and the
stockholders of the Union Pacific were equal
sufferers.
1t was not possible that series of transac-
tions at once 30 colossal and so infamous
could be concealed forever. There came q
day when the Sun spread this iniquity be-
fore lis readers in almost every detail. 1t
| was the most shocking revelation of official
venality and corruption ever made in the
whole course of our history. Investigation
followed and the guilt of the accused mem
beri was clearly ascertained. With few
exceptions, they added the crime of perjury
in their testimony before the committee to
the crime of bribery.
Among otheas, James A. Garfield was
bribed; swore that he had not been bribed:
was convicted of bribery and perjury by the
testimony of Ames and by documentary evil
dence of conclusive character; and the COM
mittee, composed of members of his own
party, reported him as bride taker and q
hartman