The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-06-25
THE CRABS OF aARF1ELD.

T6E GRABS OF GARFIELD.
A Sketch of the Public Career of the Re.
| PUBLICAN Candidate for tic Presidency,
Written before the Nomination.
James A Garfield is now serving his
ninth consecutive term US member of the
House of Representatives. At the end of
this term he will succeed Mr.. Thurman in
the Senate, as night succeeds day. Gifted
with hne natural parts, possessed of some
literary ability, given to study, popular in
manners, and with pleasing style Of speech,
few men have begun public life with such
advantages. No public man has sacrificed
his opportunities more unworthily.
MIR. Garfield entered the army in 1861
as colonel of volunteers, and left it as a
major. general in 1868, with a record which.
though nUU s,,u,uS, was quite creditable.
The Republicans Of the Western Reserve,
who had sent Joshua r. Giddings to Con-
gress until he became recognized as the
father of the House, took up Garfield on
his return from the war, at 32 years of age,
and have clung to him since then, despite
the most damning proof of his venali:y and
jobbery in legislation. Fidelity to the par
ty in its fierce ard intolcrant spirit seems,
like the mantle of charity, to have covered
multitude of sins in his case
Thrown into the midst of the reck less
legislation for which the calamity of civil
war furnished an opportunity, he soon de-
veloped the traits Of character which have
more recently made his name notorious
throughout the country. He became the
advocate and apologist Of the huge land
grants aud subsidies by which millions of
acres of the public domain and tens of mil
lions of money were voted to great corpora
tions and rings. That may be called the
beginning Of tho organized corruption
which fourished during Grants two terms
Garfield voted for almost every job, and for
almost every iniquitous scheme of the lobby
that then controlled the leading commit
tees.
THE CREDIT MoBILIER.
The construction of the Union Pacific
Railroad furnished the opportunity for q
gigantic fraud. Congress voted money and
land enough to build it without any consid.
cradle issue of bonds or stocks by the CON-
pany. The directors were forbidden by law
from engaging 10 contracts or holding other
Interests of profit. Therefore they could
not become benefciaries by the abuse of
their trust until the obstacle was overcome.
They soon found a way to do it. A COM
pany, known as the Credit Mobilier, organ
lied upon the French plan. had procured
charter from Pennsylvania, which proved
W uo I" rut,uro rts iUT
was purchased. A ring of officers and di-
rectors of the Union Pacific Road obtain ID
absolute control of its affairs. They con-
tracted with thems ,lves under another name
for the construction at exorbitant prices
They swindled the United States, the bond.
holders and the stockholders, for the benefit
Of their own close corporation.
In 1867, Cakes Ames, James b. Alley
and others, known as tho "Boston party"
got possession of the Union Pacific and the
Credit Mobilier At that time Ames was
member Of Congress, and manufacturer
Of reputed wealth. The great contracts
passed into his hands, and the dividends of
the Credit Mobiler had already attracted
attention. Elihu B. Washburne introduced
resolution in the House which alarmed
the jobbers for their immense profits
Colfax, then Speaker, and one of the crea.
lures of the ring, silenced this movement
for time by parliamentary tricks.
Still the Credit Mobilier monopolists were
uneasy, aud proposed to buy off opposition
In January, 1868, Ames wrote to McComb,
who afterwards started the investigation
from motives Of revenge, 81 have assigned,
as far as [ have gone," Certain shares to
different States, the fifty per cent. increase
| want for distribution here and soon." A
few days after, he was still more urgent
He wrote again ain view of Washburne's s
move here, l go in for making our dividend
in full. l want that Sl4, 1000 increase of
the Credit Mobilicr to sell here. We want
more friends in this Congress" AS he him.
self said, the object was to put the stock
"where it would do the most good" The
stock was then selling at $3.50 share on a
par value of 800. 1t was issued in blocks
OF thirty, twenty and ten shares 70 members
OF Congress at par, and The so.called pur.
chase was more than extinguished by accrued
dividends. 1t was nice stock to hold.
The first disclosure Of this corruption
was made in the San during the summer
Of 1872, duplicating many of the Republ
can leaders. A Presidential election was
then pending, and they all vehement,
denied any connection with the fraud.
| GARFIELD's STATEMENT
was more explicit and boldcr than that o.
any Of his confederates in the crime Al
investigation was ordered by the House
soon after the meeting of Congress; the
examination of witnesses began On Decem
Der IL, 1872. AT first Oakes Ames de-
clined to make any exposure but when the
inoriminated members combined to swear
him down and to free themselves by rank
L nariuru his blood ~ uarnaad o.niaLl. aal L.