The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1880-07-30
VIA, Vas me cream nes1ier ?


Several correspondents. among then
an esteemed clergyman in a neigh
boring town of New Jersey, have re
que.ied Us to answer this question.
They understand, we suppose, the re-
lations Of Mr. Garfield TO the Credit
Mobilier; the broad relations Of the
Credit Mobilier to Congress and to
the people are less clear to their
minds.
a few years ago the United States
endowed msgnifcently with its lands
and bonds, aud many valuable priv.
leges, a company organized TO build
Union Pacific Railway. When Ger.
tain shrewd managers Of this concern
came TO count up the cost Of the work
and to cast up the assets to he applied
to il. they found an enormous balance
on the right side Of the book. In or.
der to absorb this balance and transfer
It to their own pockets, they imme.
diately proceeded 10 form an inside
Ring to build the road. They bought
an old Pennsylvania charter called
the Credit Mobilier, which was admir-
ably adapted for the swindle in view,
aud under that charter name began
the execution Of one Of the most re.
markable and successful frauds in his
tory.
As officers Of the Union Pacific, the
members Of the Credit Mobilier con-
tracted with themselves for the con-
siructijn Of the line, and fixed their
own figures for the work. They thus
stripped the Union Pacific Of every
thing of value belonging TO il, and
set il over to the Credit Mobilier.
With one hand they robbed the treas
ury Of the railway company, and
with the other they stuffed the plan.
der into the treasury Of the construc-
ton Ring. whence il was distributed
to the individual cosspiratiors in the
form Of dividends Of cash, bonds and
stocks.
But the United States. in slight re.
turn for its unexampled bounty, had
taken n first mortgage on the proper
ty. This was announcement to the
Ring. Having absorbed everything
else, they now desired tn put 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 supplemented and
honest men this would seem like a
very Difficult, thing To accomplish; to
them it appeared easy enough. They
set apart a certain amount OF the
enormously valuable stock Of the
Credit Mobilier-stock which repre-
senied both the plumber of the past and
the plumber Of the future-and gave it
to Oakes Ames, who agreed to place il
where 1t would do the most good. He
was a member Of Congress, and was,
not unjustly, supposed to know exact
ly how to employ il in order to cor
rupt the sources Of legislation. With
this corruption fund he bought the
Nice-President, several Senators, and
the Chairmen of the leading commit
tees o. the House. Then, by the
votes aud 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.
It was not possible that series of
transactions at once so colossal and so
infamous could be concealed forever.
There came day when The Sun
spread this iniquity before its readers
in almost every detail. 1t was the
most shocking revelation Of official
venality aud corruption ever made in
1.-THE whole course of our history. In
vestigation followed, and the guilt OF
the accused members was clearly as
certained. With a few exceptions,
they added the crime OF perjury in
their testimony before the committee
to the crime Of bribery.
Among others, James A. Garfield
was bribed swore that he had not
been bribed; WIS convicted OF bribery
and perjury by the testimony Of
Ames and by documentary evidence
of conclusive character; and the com
mittee, composed of members of hi
own party, reported him as brib'
taker and a perjurer.-I New York
sun.
Just LereiD.
! 1t is just lovely to sleep in the
country these fine mornings, with
; gobbler gobbling under your window
; and a calf believing like a concer
saloon baritone ON one side of th'
house, while a COW, his mother, is hal
L. .-..-.- ---........ -. H. olho.