Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-10-07
A MONUMENT TO OAKEs AMES
What Shall the Epitaph Bet
rrron the New York World I


The sons of the late Oakes Ames left
this city, if we are not misinformed, on
Saturday last to take part in the cere-
mony of laying the cornerstone of an
imposing monument which is to be
erected to the memory of their father
in the town of Sherman, on the line of
the Union Pacific Railway in Wyom-
ing Territory. This monument is to be
put up at a great cost, and it is to
stand on one of the highest inhabited
points in the Union, more than 5000
feet above the level of the sea. What
incription are the coming generations
of the American people to read upon its
enduring granite front? If the man
nominated by the Republican party for
the Presidency is a truthful man, this
monument-whichi in some sort will
dominate the continents to be erect
ed to a perjurer. Can the sons OF
Cakes Ames permit this pile, intended
to commemorate their fathers energy
and enterprise in the sight of all men,
to become a historic pillory in which
his name shall be set as Kissing and
a reproach in all time to come? They
can prevent this, in but one way. They
must prove upon General Garfield him
self the shame which has been put by
General Garfield on their dead father,
or the monument they are about to
erect will but make their name odious
| in wears to come. There is no escape
for them from this necessity. Either
Cakes Ames died a perjurer or James
| A. Garfield lives a perjurer. Consider
the facts:
December II, 1872, Oakes Ames test
ified (p. 20 of testimony in Credit
Mobilier case): 81 will now speak OF
the transaction with the individuals
named in the letters produced by MIR.
McComb in his testimOny-as to MIR.
Garfield Up 2D, II agreed to get ten
shares of stock for him and hold it I'm
till he could pay for it," January IA,
1873, General Garfield, knowing that
the above statement had been made by
Oakes Ames, testified: II neuer o,oned,
/ received or agreed to- receive any
stock of the Credit Mobitier or Of the
Union Pacific Railroad nor any diUi-
dend or profits arising from either Of
them."
January %, 1873, being...eight days
after this testimony was given by Cen
eral Garfield, Oakes Ames testified
again as follows, in reply to a question
as to when he made his agreement
with (testimeny, p. 295): "That agree
ment was in December, 1867, or in
January, 1S6S-about that time-about
the time 1 had these conversations
with all of them" I'm June
I received q diuidend in cash on his
[Garfield's] stock of 5000, sOhich left q
balance due him Of 1920, a0hich Ipdid
him"
One of two propositions, it will be
seen, must be admitted. Either the
living General Garfield swore falsely
when he testified that he never "OaOna-
ed, received, or agreed to receive any
stock of the Credit Mobiliea' or the
Union Pacific Railroad," or Oake 8
Ames swore falsely when he testified
that he "ngreed to get ten. shares of
stock" for Garfield. and that he "receiU-
ed q dividend in cash" on Gereral Gar
fields stock, and that he paid General
Garfield balance due him out of that
dividend.
Ex-Secretary Fish, Mr.. John Jay ard
other Republicans of eminence have
loudly proclaimed their belief that Gen
eral Garfield swore to the truth. Of
course this carries with it a declara ton
that they believe Oakes Ames to have
sworn falsely. They are men ofrespect-
ability as we'll as of eminence, but un-
fortunately, like Judge Swayne, they
have damaged the value of their testi-
mony by admitting that they have
never investigated the case. In fact
ex-Secretary Fish had never heard of
the charges against General Garfield
at all when he pronounced the charac-
ter of General Garfield in public life
blameless before New York audience
the other night. Judge Black, Of
Pennsylvania, on the other hand, who
has not only heard of the case but who
was consulted in positively peniten-
tial way by General Garfield as to the
case, has just stated in remarkable
letter published by The World on
Saturday last that Oakes Ames swOre
truly and that General Garfield swore
falsely. Judge Black, however, be-
lieves that while General Garfield
swore falsely as to his connection with
theuperations of Oakes Ames, he swore
truly as>to his ignorance of the mean
ing Of thaf connection. This is puz-
zling position which Judge Black takes
but SO far as the sons of Oakes Ames
are concerned Judge black at least puts
their father in the right on the issue of