The Portland daily press., 1880-06-18
ONE GUN SPIKED.
General Garfield and the Credit
Mobilier
THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM EFFECT
UALLT EXPLODED.
A Strong Letter From Judge Black-He
Fully Vindicates General Garfleld-The
Whole Case Reviewed and the Evil
dence Brought Out.
PHILADELPHIA Press.1

While it is now generally conceded that
what is called political mud throwing" has
ceased to really affect the fortunes either of
parties or individuals, it is equally true that
in no period of the political life of this country
has the appetite for scandal been keener or its
exercise less restrained. Hardly had the Chi
cago convention nominated General James A.
Garfield for President of the United States be-
fore the opposition press commenced to charge
him with official corruption and belabor him
with vituperative epithets. The most serious
of these charges has reference to General Gar
fields alleged connection with the Credit Mo-
bilier case. And though a Congressional COM
mittee some years ago, after most rigid in
vestgation, failed to find that General Gar
field was guilty of any improperly or even in
delicacy in his transactions with Mr.. Oakes
Ames, the then manipulation of that corpora
tion though it was clearly shown that out of
an unimportant business transaction, the loan
of trifing sum of money as a matter Of per-
sonal accommodation, and out of an offer nev-
er accepted, arose an enormous fabric of accu-
sation and susDicion; though General Gar
fields personal honor was thoroughly vindi-
Gated by that investigation, yet in the face of
these facts the scandal is revived simply to en-
able his opponents to bedaub his fair name
with political mud, now that he is candi-
date for the chief office in the gift of the
people.
THE CREDIT MoBILIER COMPANY.
In considering so much of the history of the
Credit Mobiler Company as has any relation to
General Garfield to render the matter intelli-
gble it will be necessary to briefly state the CT
fences which that corporation committed, as
found by the committees of the House of Rep
resentatives. The Credit Mobilier Company
was a corporal on organized under the laws of
the State of Pennsylvania, and authorized by
its charter to purchase and sell various kinds
of securities and to make advances of money
and credit to railroad and other improvement
companies. The class of business described in
the charter was such as, if honestly conducted,
the most upright citizen may properly engage
in. On the 10th of August, 1867, Oakes Ames
made contract with the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company to build 667 miles of road from
the Tooth meridian westward, for an amount
aggregating $47 1925, 900 in cash or in the secu-
rites of the company. On the 18th of October,
Ames of the first part, seven persons as trus-
tees of the second part and the Credit Mobli
er Company of the the third part, by the terms
of which the Credit Mobilier Company was to
advance money to build the road, and to re-
ceive thereon per cent. interest and q per
cent commission; the seven trustees were to
execute the Ames contract and the profits
were to be divided among them and such 9TH
er stockholders of the Credit Mobiler Compa-
ny as should deliver to them an irrevocable
proxy to vote the stock Of the Union Pacific
held by them. The principal stockholders of
the Credit Mobilier Company were also hold
ers of majority of the stock of the Union Pa
cific railroad. On the face of this agreement
the part to be performed by the Credit Mobili.
er as corporation was simple and unobjec-
tionable, being simply fto advance money to