Omaha daily bee., 1883-05-16

stock. These men wore likely to be
called upon to vote upon questions d.
rectly or indirectly affecting the value
Of the shares they owned. An In.
vestIgation was ordered, and 1t was
found that Mr.. Cakes Ames had dis
tributed among members of the senate
and house, without regard TO party,
the shares of Credit Moblller stock
which these gentlemen held. As q
rule, the dividends In each case rep
resented the unpaid price of the
stock, as well as q small additional
profit.
The house of representatives, of
which Mr., Oskes Ames was q member,
passed o vote censuripg him and one
or two representatives who had par.
taken Of the profits of tie Credit
Mobilier transaction 1t was unquea-
tionably true hat Mr.. Ames was an
ardent and sincere patriot, and that
the work Of building the transconti.
mental railway, In which he was en-
gagged, was mi of great national I'm
p%ortsnce. 1t WAS, nevertheless, true
that members of congress we're bribed,
by an allotment of Credit Mobiiier
shares, to vote for the augmentation Of
the profits of those engaged in that
mighty undertaking. The exposure of
that bribery ruined many regulations
before unspotted. One gentleman,
elegant, polished, scholarly, ar d q
conscisntious and consistent member
of the democratic party, never lifted
his head after the exposure of the
Credit Mobilier scandal He died of
q broken heart. Another, who had
filled q high office In the gift of the
republican party, and who, at the
end OF q term in u federal office, was
about engaging In an enterprise Of
pith and moment, was laid low by the
bolt that fell, and he disappeared
(while yet In the prime of maphood)
from the politics of his country.
Others were glad to find In the Oh.
security Of private life hat Inn
muuity from criticism, that shelter
from derison, which they could not
ask or expect In the public service.
This Is a thrioe.told tale. 1t Is q
part of the history of the republic.
But, when o new generation is almost
, ready to enter the stage of political
life, 1t Is proposed to reverse the YER.
dict which congress, supported by an
enlightened public opinion, passed
upon those who were engaged in this
d~lsgraceful business. The man who
placed the stock of the Credit Mobiliel
association "where 1t would do the
most COCA" Is In his grave. How far
his moral sense was blunted by self,
interest and by the corrupting infu'
ence of a corrupt and money. makinf
age, we will not now inquire,
The evil he did lives aftel
him. If Ills memory is resuscltstet
and f%umigated, who shall disinfect the
men who have courted private life
ever since he laid before them the
glitterlng bait7 If there Is any later
deliberate public sentiment which
holds Cakes Ames In an esteem irrec
oncilable with his condemnation, who
shall Issue q clean bill of health to the
living and the dead statesman whom
1t is charity not to name2 The latest
attempt to gild the reputation o
Cakes Ames Is due to a flial piety
which all men must needs admire. l
Is al appeal to the easy good nature o
a generation ready to let bygones be
bygones. But the memorable truth Of
history demands that the lesson of thu
Credi, Mobilier gcandal shall remain
a warning and a n