Press enter after choosing selection

Oakes Ames Feted--his Little Speech

Oakes Ames Feted--his Little Speech image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
March
Year
1873
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

NoitTH Easton, Mass., March IS. - A complimentary reception and dimier was giveu to Hon. Oakes Ames by his townsmeu and their ladies to tho number of three hundred and fifty in the Ames school house this evening. Dr. Goo. B. Cogswell presided, and wnen the oloth wns removed welcouiud Aines to hia home with a brief speech highly luudatory of his course and expressive of continued contidoace in his honor and integrity. - Ho announced that the demonstration was mado irrospeotive of party, and he feit that he expressed the sentiment of of all wheu h.e said that while others sought to cast a stigma upon their B.epresentative's fair name and reputation, his constituents had always looked upon him as ' that noblest work of God, an honest man," He closed with the sentiment : " Tho Hon. Oakes Amos - Liko gold from the crueible he has passed through tho tiery ordeal and como out biightor and purer." Mr. Ames responded as followa : MY FüIEJTDa AJÍD NeIGIIBORS - I should be less than human not to bo grateful and happy at this great gatherBig of my constituents to show their confldeuce and faith in my honor, truth, and integrity. I am not in the habit of speeoh-making, as you all well know, I have, as you are aware, been the principal object of abuse for the last six months. The press of the country has been fuil of what lias been called the Credit Mobilier scandal. The whole offense, if offense it c;in be called, is in selling f 16,000 of stock to eleven members of Congress at the same piiee I paid for it, and at the same piice I sold the stock to others, and if the parties purchasing the stock had simply toid the truth and said they had a right 10 purchase it that wouidhave been the end of it ; but from the fact of their denial the public suspeetod that there muit be something criminal in the transaction, and to find out what the crime was Congross appointed a committee to inquire if Oakes Arnes had bnbed any member of Gougress. The result was the appointment of tho notorious Poland committoo. That committee were engaged nearly three months, and the result of all their labors was to damage the characters of some men high in office for truth and veracity, but the object of the' committee to see if Oakes Ames bribed any members was adinitted, not proven. But that committee made the wonduiful discovery .hat I was guilty of selling stock for less than it was woith, but that the parties taking the stock and keeping it were very innocent, and that I had the extraordinaiy abüity to give meu a bribe without their knowing it, aiid to do they did not know what. This short speech was received with applause and cheers. Congratulatory speeches followed until eleven o'clock, wüen the reception ended.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus