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

The Coili:crtiun Ui Mr.. Garfield
with the Credit Mohilicr swindlc was
made known in 1872, when a Com
miLtcc Of Congress was appointed TO
investigate the charges against differ
ent Congressmcn, a majority Of ihc
Committee were Republicans. MIR.
Garfield went before the Committee
on June Ia, 1878, and, under oath,
testified as follows:
l never owned, received, or agreed
TO receive any stock Of the Credit Mo-
hlicr OF OF the Union Pacific Rail.
road, nor any dividends or profits
arising from either OF them.
The Committee in their report as
to Mr.. Garfield say:
The facts in regard to Mr.. Garfield
as found by the Committee, are 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 the
sixty per cent. cash dividend, which,
together with the price Of the stock
and interest, left Il balance of 1929.
This sum was paid over to Mr.. Gar
field by check on the Scrgeant-at 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
mittec WAS published, and The sub
joined extracts from articles in the
New York Times and New York lrj-
Oune represent correctly the domi-
nant opinion. in Republican circles.
The Iin4s Of February 10, 1878,
said:
Mcssrs. Kelley and Gai Gsld pre-
sent most distressing figure. Their
part cipaLlon in the Crcdi. Mobilicr
affair is complicated by the most un-
fortunate contradictions Of testimony.
The Times, on February 20. 1878,
commented further, rs follows:
The character OF the Credit Mobi-
llcr WAS no secret. The source OF
profits WAS very well known at the
time congressman boushLit. Though
Oakcs Amcs may have succeeded ir
conccallnS his own motive, Which was
to brihc congressman. their accept
aEcc OF the stock was not on that ac-
count innocent. The dishonor or, the
act, rs Il participation in IN obvious
fraud, still remains.
Some Of them have INDUCED in
testimony vii, reference 20 Tic mat
LEI which has been conlra'lictc,l. The
committee distinctly reject Tic lcsii-
mony Of several OF The members.
l'hls can only be done on the ground
that it is untrue. iiut untrue tcsli-
nony given under oath, if not legally,
is, morally perjury.
IL is The clear duty Of Congress to
visit with punishment all who took
Credit Mobile: stock from Oakes
AmCs.
The Tribune on February 10, 1878,
said:
James A. Garfield, of Ohio, had
ten "hares never paid dollar re-
ccivcd 1929, which, after the invcsti-
CATION began, lie was anxious to have
considered as II loan from Mr.. Oakes
Ames TO himself. Well, the wicked
ness Of all Of il is that these men be-
traycd the trust of the people, dccciv-
CT their constituents, and by evasions
and falsehoods confessed the tralsac.
lions to be disgraccful.
And the next day the same paper
said:
M:. hmca establishes very clearly
the pOinL that he WAS not alone in
this offence. ! he is To be expelled
for bribery, the mcr who were bribcd
should go with hun.
This is Republican testimony, and
comvic,s Mr.. Garfield not cnly OF
bribery. but Of perjury also.
Correction
! Editor Oyun0CbUrU DcmOcyut: