Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-05-03
Justice to Oakes Amos

The Harrisburg Patriot makes a
strong appeal to the Legislature OF
| Massachusetts, to relieve the memory
Of Oakes Amcs from the odium that
rests upon it from the bribery transac.
ton in the credit mobiier affair in Con
gress some years ago. lie as the briber
aud CoIfax as one Of the bribe rcceiv.
ers went down rs dead ducks, while
the balance of the receivers, includ.
ing Judge Kelley and Jas. &, Blaine,
were subsequently endorsed aud the
crime condoned. How Massachusetts
is to blot out the stain, Is the mis-
terry, but as an old friend and ac.
quaintace OF Mr. Colfax we insist that
he also be included. The Pairiot says :
at is understood that at an early
day the legislature Of Massachusetts
will be asked 10 do something looking
to the removal from the memory OF
| the late Oakes Amcs of the stigma
which ha. rested upon it tgr ten years.
| When the committee investigating the
/ Credit Mobilier scandal ten years ago
| reported that he stood convicted as n
| briber of congressman, and the Forty.
second congress adopted resolution Of
censure, the poor old man who had
grown wealthy as a shovel maker and
won respect for simple business meth.
/ od- in hi. Massachusetts home, grew
heart sick aud after two months of
misery died, leaving hi- memory
smirched with the odium which bad
been heaped upon it.
Why should the memory Of Oakcs
Amcs be thus subjected to continued
public execration; He was unque-.
tionably guilty ofbribery aud the mos,
effective penalty against the crime
| lies in the odium which attaches to the
oticnse But the giver of a bribe il no
more guilty than the receiver. If
Oakes Amcs gave brides, VIM. D.
Kelley, james G.. Blaine. Jame- 4.
Garfield, Schuyler Colfax, Benz. T.
Butler and other, received them. IT,
therefore, the memory OF Oakcs Ames
Is to bear stigma those who shared
the crime with him are equally culpa.
ble and as fully deserving Of rcproba.
tion.
james G.. Blaine has since been
twice named for the presidential nom.
ination, and his connection with the
Oakes Amcs crime was responsible for
his defeat in neither case. Garfield
accepted the brIbc- ~ the hand. Of
Oakcs Ames, aud the oHcnsa wa- con.
doncd in hi- election to the presidcu.
cy. William ID. Kelley. who added
perjury to the crime Of receiving
bribcs, still holds his scat in congress.
aud was recently compIimentei hy the
Philadelphia monopoli-ls with a pub.
lie dinner. Coliax. who like Garfield
and Kelley, magulfcd the crime Of
bribery by -ub-equent perjury, Ia Zee.
ogulzed as n public teacher by the w..
cnums and lecture bureau. Of the
country, and Butler is now governor
of Massachusetts,. Thus all those who
shared with Oakcs Amez the crime Of
which he stood convicted. are appa-
renty vindicated Why, therefore
should hi. memory and postcrity sut-
fer alone; 1t il neither equal or cx.
act justice, and if the legislature of
Massachu-eti. can reach the subject. it
IL to be hoped that speedy action will
be taken The Patriot docs not ask
vjndicaiion for Oakes Amcs. But it
does think, that unless he be purged Of
the crime by some public expression.
his associates should be included in
the cxccration that rests upon him