The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-07-09
PROOF UPON PROOF.
THE LEADING REPUBLICAN PAPER ON
GARFfELD's FART IN THE CREDIT
MoBILIER

NWeTUnr FpSNtT tpullnS w tuc w |
Ds @ ,lycr Garfield Is reported in the New
York Herald as having said substantially
that there is nothing in the charge, that the
Republican candidate for the Presidency
was badly smirched in the Credit Mobilier
business. Governor Foster Is referred not
only to the testimony taken before
the Poland Committee, the report of that
body and the speeches in its support by such
men as Judge Pollard, OF Vermont, Judge
McCrary, of Iowa, and General Joe. Haw.
ley, of Connecticut all repub leans, for
full substantiation of the charge, but more
especially to the files of the leading Repub-
lican journals, embracing the period of the |
investigation.
THE TIMES on THE CREDIT MoBILIER.
The New York Times, the leading Repub- |
lican newspaper in the country, denounced
the investigation as campaign scheme Of
the Democracy, and threw cold water upon
it until the testimony taken before the In
vestigation Committee became so overwhel-
ming that it could no longer afford the at
tempt to gainsay it. The Times was relu :
tantly compelled step by step to admit the
damaging character of the evidence adduced
before the committee, and when all the ties.
tmoIy was in aud the report of the com
mittee submitted, this exponent of the Re-
publican party was compelled by facts elici
ted and its own sense of honesty, to use the
following language in leading editorial in
issue of February 49, 1874, the morning af.
ter the presentation to Congress of the com.
mitie iee's conclusions.
"The report sets forth fully the fact that
the Credit Mobiler scheme, was in facts,
and intent, a fraud upon the government. 1t
was device to enable those interested 10
the Union Pacific Railroad to transfer to
their own pockets the bonds and the lands
granted by the United States TO build the
road In this fraudulent scheme
Mr.. Oakes Ames undertook to enlist his fell
low members Of Congress by selling them
stock at halt its value, but in preventing
legislation and it was to this end that Ames
used the stock. y Without reference
to the tedious list of Ames. contradictions
committee, it is perfectly evident that he
meant to perform corrupt act. The COM
mittee strengthen. its recommendation tor
his expulsion by citing a statute under which
Amess offense is made punishable with ten
years imprisonment in penitentiary and
with heavy fine. Regarding Mr.. Brooks,
the committees report is equally distinct
The transaction is the counterpart of that oi
Ames, the recommendation of expulsion:i in
the one ease as in the other cannot be eva.
ded. In approaching the cases OF the othel
members of Congress concerned in the Cred
it Mobilier, the committee does not find it:
way clear to conclusions so definite as in
cases of Ames and Brooks. Ofthe member.
thus referred to Messrs Kelly and Garfield
present most distressing figure Their par
ticipation in the Credit Mobilier affair il
complicated by the most unfortunate con
tradictions of the testimony which the com
mittee do not undertake to ravel. The only
possible comment on their cases is that if they
had taken a perfectly upright course in tn,
matter and refused to have anything to dt
with the stock no occasion for contradiction
could have arisen. We agree:with the com
mittee that knowledge of the relation O
the Credit Mobilier to the Union Pacif,
Railway would have made the holding O.
that by member of Congress dishonora
BILE act. We do not agree with the committe,
on this lenient assumption that such knowl
edge was possessed by the Congressman whit
purchased the stock. II they did not xnov
its character they must have been curiousl
deaf and blind to what was going on abou
them. With those who knew anything abou
the Union Pacific Railroad in the winter O
1866, the purposes of the Credit Mobile
were so we'll known that they may fairly b
said to have been notorious. Certain
Congressman who took stock in scheme 4
cheat the Government, under these crcum
stances, deserve some we'll defined measure o
condemnation and we regret that the com
mittee recommended none. We trust tn
House will remedy the omission"
In another article the same day the Time
says;
mo party can continue to receive or de
serve the confidence of the people whic
does not disavow all sympathy with legisla
tive bargain and sale on the part of il
members
THE POLAND COMMITTEE.
The following day the same Republica
organ said among other things relating t
the subject:
''The general impression in reference t
the Poland committees report is that it
good as far as it goes, but that it does nc
go far enough. The Poland Committee doe
not meet the case satisfactorily. 1t says ths
there is no evidence that the Congressme
knew of the nature of the Credit Mobile
stock. This is begging the question Cor
gressmen ought to have known of the natul
of the stock before investing in it. 1t WI
their business to have informed themselv,
and they could very easily have done s,
The character of the Credit Mobilier was L
secret. The source of its profits was ver
we'll known at the time. Congressme
bo ught it. Oakes Ames may have succeed
ed in concealing his own motiye which WI
to bribe congressman; their acceptance of Il
stock was not on that account innocen
The dishonor of the act as participate
in an obvious fraud still remains.
The committee distinctly rejects the test
mony ofseyeral members. Notably that
Mr.. Garfield. This can only be done on Il
ground that it is untrue. But untrue test
mony given under oath is morally, il not !
gally perjury. The committee finds men
bers land among them Garfield guilty
this offense, but does not see its way cle'
to recommend any punishment for it. Eitl
er the committee is mistaken as to its fact
or it falls far short in its recommendation
1t is the plain duty of Congress to visit wit
punishment all who took Credit Mobile
stock from Oakes Ames. Ames himself