Review of the Transactions of the Crédit Mobilier Company

What it is

A written pamphlet by James A. Garfield, published in 1873 and held by the Library of Congress. In it, Garfield reviews the transactions of the Crédit Mobilier Company and defends his own public conduct against accusations made against him.

Why it matters

The Crédit Mobilier scandal involved allegations of corruption connecting members of Congress to a railroad construction company. This pamphlet is Garfield's own defense of his conduct, written in response to the scandal, which remained the most significant stain on his political reputation. It shows how political figures used public writing to shape their own reputations when accused of wrongdoing.

Look closer

• Why does Garfield open by comparing his situation to a speech made over two thousand years earlier?
• What does Garfield's choice to publish a pamphlet, rather than just make a speech, tell you about the seriousness of the accusations against him?
• How might a defense written by the accused person himself differ from an outside investigation of the same events?