James Garfield (1881Autograph Letter, signedHiram, O(hio)., Oct(ober). 8, 1872. 1 p. 7 3/8 x 4 3/4 in. (187 x 120 mm). Autograph letter, signed by Garfield ("J.A. Garfield"), as a member of the House of Representatives, to J. Dewitt Miller. Creasing from original folds; lightly toned.Implicated in the Crédit Mobilier bribery scandal, future president James Garfield seeks to clear his name: "I thank you & Miss Wilson for your confidence in me. In reference to the slander to which you refer, I have only to say that the story is a wicked slander and my friends will have nothing to be ashamed of for my sake in connection with it."The Crédit Mobilier bribery scandal rocked Gilded Age politics, tarnishing many politician's careers and causing wide distrust of Congress and the federal government. The scandal came to light during the election of 1872 when the New York Sun broke the story of the corrupt scheme between the Union Pacific Railroad and members of Congress. Conducted between 1864-67, the scandal centered around Crédit Mobilier, a fraudulent construction company created by Union Pacific to inflate government-contracted construction costs for the completion of the eastern portion of the Transcontinental Railroad. Excess funds were then diverted to Union Pacific executive's pockets while some went to bribe sitting members of Congress for favorable laws, funding, and regulatory rules. During a congressional investigation James Garfield's name appeared on a list composed by conspirator Oakes Ames for the receipt of stock as a part of the bribery scheme. Garfield denied any inolvement, and despite his tarnished association with the scandal he went on to win the presidential election of 1880.