“Oakes Ames, the Massachusetts mechanic, who had made a fortune in the manufacture of shovels, had embarked in the construction of the Pacific railroad. Finding legislation necessary, and knowing how difficult it was to secure the attention of Congressmen to schemes that did not benefit them or their constituents, he distributed the shares of this Crédit Mobilier, as he expressed it, where it would do the most good.’” Ames being a member of Congress and a manager of the scheme was peculiarly appreciative of the value of Congressional assistance in behalf of the Crédit Mobilier. It looked as though its purpose was to drain money from the Central Pacific railroad and from the government as long as possible. Any legislation on the part of Congress designed to protect the interest of the government would naturally be unfavourable to the Crédit Mobilier, and it was the aim of the corporation to prevent any such legislation. The price agreed upon for building the road was so exorbitant and afforded such wicked profit to the Crédit Mobilier that it was almost certain some honest friend of the people would demand that Congress should protect the Treasury from such robbery. Accordingly, it was determined to interest in the scheme enough members of Congress to prevent any protection of the National Treasury at the expense of the unlawful gains of the Crédit Mobilier. Oakes Ames, being in Congress, undertook to secure the desired hold upon his associates. The plan was to secure them by bribing them, and for this purpose a certain portion of the Crédit Mobilier stock was placed in the hands of Mr. Ames, as trustee, to be used by him as he thought best for the best interests of the company. Mr. Ames went to Washington, December, 1867, for the opening of the session of Congress. Within a month, he entered into contracts with a considerable number of members of Congress of both Houses to let them have shares of stock in the Crédit Mobilier Company at par, with interest thereon from the first day of the previous July.