St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-01
CHAPTER VIII,

Recalls the Credit MobiIer and Puts Mr
Blaine in AmOtIter Tight Boz, and PrOres
That he Is not a Dreadful "Smart Nan"
1t will be remembered that in the spring
of 1871 the air was full of rumors as to some
sort of iniquity in the management of the
Pacific railroad and other corporations.
These rumors first took tangible shape in
Congress through motion made by Gen.
Butler in the house Jan. 10 of that year, pro-
vidiDg for the appointment of an investigat-
ing committee to discover how the railroads
which have received government lands, bonds
or credit had used what they had got, and
whether the same had been used for the
benefit of corporations or individuals 1t
was generally conceded that this resolution
was aimed at ''somebody or something"
and it is fair to assume that Mr.. Blaine saw
the impending storm and was anxious to re-
move all evidence OF his connection with the
Union Pacific railroad.
AT the first meeting of the select commit
tee TO investigate the alleged Credit Mobilier
bribery Mr.. Blaine, then speaker of the
house OF representatives., was the first wit
ness sworn, and he submitted his testimony
in writing. The meeting was held Dec u,
1872, and we copy from page 1 of the official
report OF the proceedings:
Mr.. Blaine testified: 81 wish to state.
without reservation or qualification, that
never owned share of the stock in the
Credit MObllier In my life, either by gift,
purchase or in any way whatever. Nor did
l ever receive, either directly or indirectly,
single cent derived in any manner or shape
from the Credit Mobiler or the Union Pacific
railroad company. No person holds, or
ever did hold, for me, any stock in either
corporation as agent or trustee or in any ca
pacity whatever. l wish my testimony TO be
taken as exhaustive and as intended to er-
cltsde every form or phase Of oicsers5iD in the
Credit 4NobRer or the Union Pacific Railroad
Company, both past and present" 1t viii be
remembered that
MR.. BLAINE WAS SWORN UNDER OATH
when this statement was made; and now let
us see how needless he is of the truth. We
quote from page 1907 Of the Congressional
Record, vol. 4, part 4, first session Forty
fourth congress, the following extract of a
letter Zone of the Mulligan letters from
Blaine to Warren Fisher, Jr., dated April Is.
1872.
l left with Mr.. Mulliken (sic) January.
1871, $4,000 in land grant bonds, Union Pa
clfc Railroad, to be exchanged for a like
amount OF Little Rock land bonds with Mr..
Caldwell, he to change back when desired
Mr.. Caldwell declined to take them, and YOU
took them without any negotiation with me.
or any authority from me in regard to the
matter. You placed the Little Rock land
/ bonds In the envelope, and l have the orr
ginal envelope with Mulliken's Endorsement
tn feon of the fact OF tue delivery to YOU.
Now, do not complain Of your taking the
bonds, provided you hold yourself bound to
replace them. The worst of the whole mat
ter was that the bonds lcve only part mine,
and have had to make good the Others to the
original owner.
Here we have Mr.. Blaine, under oath, say
ing in the most positive manner that she
! Heger owned share in the Union Pacific
railroad company, and that no person holds
or ever did hold one for him as agent or
trustee, or in any capacity whatever" and
again we have. in q confidential letter to his
friend, Warren Fisher, his own confession
/ that he had owned at least q part of SO, 200
worth Of that identical security, and he re-
/ calls to Mr.. Fishers mind, as above quoted,
/ all the circumstances of the negotiation and
/ delivery to him of those securities, ''saying
they were only part mine'' (his).
In his attempted exculpation, June 5,
I 1876, Immediately after reading the letter
/ quoted from above, Mr. Blaine said, (Coa-
greSsiOnGl Record, page 5000 as follows:
There is mentioned in this letter, So. 900
I of land grant bonds Of The Union Pacific Rail
road, for which 1 stood as only part Olr7ler !;
/ they were only in part DliHs- As have
/ started out to make personal explanation.
want 10 make full explanation in regard
to this matter.
Those bonds were not mine except in this
sense- In 1859 lady who is a member Of
I my family, aud whose financial affairs
/ have looked after for many years-many
gentlemen viii know 70 whom ] refer with
/ out my being more explieit-bought on tie
recommendation Of Mr.. Samuel Hooper,
| $4,000 in land grant bonds Of the Union Pa
cite railroad as they were issued in 1859.
Size got them on what was called the
| stoekholders' basis; ! think it was very