Had the presidential contest been close, a charge made by the New York Sun, during the heat of it, might have turned the scale against Grant. It was alleged that in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad through the operations of a construction ring, Oakes Ames, the leading spirit of those thus associated had, in order to ensure the performance of certain actions for their benefit, distributed in bribes to members of Congress thirty thousand shares of Credit Mobilier [the construction company] worth nine millions of dollars. Fifteen were named as having received the stock: the Vice-President, the Secretary of the Treasury, two senators, two ex-senators, the Speaker and six other members of the House, besides one ex-representative and one no longer living.