The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-08-13
A Bad Record.

inc connection Oh Nj. Garii:iu
with the Credit Mohilicr swindlc was
made known in 1872, whcnla Com.
miltec OF Congress was appointed TO
investigate the charges against differ
cnt congressman. a majority Of 'he
Committee were Republicans. Mr..
Garfield went before the Committee
on June IA, 1878, and, under oath,
testified as follows:
1never owned, received, or agreed
TO receive any stock of the Credit Mo-
bilier or OF the Union Pacific Rail.
road, nor any dividends or prniils
arising from either Of them.
The Committee in their report as
to Mr.. Garfield say:
The facts in regard to Mr.. Garfield
rs found by the Committee, arc that
lie agreed with Mr.. Amcs to take ten
shares of Credit Mobilicr stock, but
did not pay for the same. Mr.. Ames
received the eighty per cent. dividend
i'll bonds and sold them for ninety
seven per cent, and also received tile,
sixty per cent. cash dividend, which,
together with the price Of the stock
and interest, left a balance of 1929.
This sum was paid over to Mr.. Gar
field 10y Il check on the Sergeant at
Arms, and DIr. Garfield then under.
stood this sum was the balance of
dividends after paying for the stock.
The evidence taken by the Com
miltec was published, and the sub
joined extracts from articles in the
New York Times and New York lri-
Ome represent correctly the domi
nant opinion. in Republican circles.
The Tinl+s Of February 10, 1878,
! said
Mcssrs. Kelley and Ga:Gslh pre-
sent a most distressing figure. Their
part cipatlon in the Crcdi! Mobilcr
affair is complicated by the most I'M
! fortunate contradictions of testimony
The Times, on February 20. 1873,
commented further, as follows:
The character Of tho Credit Mobi-
licr WAS no secret. The sonrcc OF
profits was very we'll known at The
time congressman bouy it. Though
Oakcs Amcs may have succeeded ir
concGalln1 his own motive, Which was
to brihc congressman, their accept
aEcC OF the stock WAS not ON that ac-
count innocent. The dishonor OF the
act, rs Il participation III an obvious
fraud, still remains.
Some of them have INDUCED in
testimony viii reference TO !Lc mat
!eI which has been cunlra,lictc,l. The
committee distinctly reject Tie lesii-
mony OF several OF The members.
This can only be done on the ground
that it is untrue. But untrue lcsti-
mony given under oath, if not legally,
is, morally perjury.
1t is The clear duty Of Congress to
visit with punishment all who took
Credit Mobile" stock from Oakcs
AmCs.
The Tribune on February 10, 1878,
said
James A. Garfield, OF Ohio, had
ten Fharcs ; never paid dollar; re-
ceivcd 1929, which, after the invcsti-
CATION began, he was anxious to have
considered as Il loan from Mr.. Oakcs
Ames TO himself. Well, tie wicked
ness Of all OF il is that these men be-
traycd the trust Of the people, dcceiv-
cd their constituents, and by cvasions
and Ialsehoods confessed the transac-
lions to be disgraceiul.
And the next day the same paper
said:
Mr.. hncs establishes very clearly
the point that he was not alone in
this offence. Ii he is to be expelled
for bribery, the mcE who were bribcd
should go with h,m.
This is Republican testimony, and
convicis Mr.. Garfield not cnlv of
bribery. but Of PERJURY also.
Correction.