Jasper Republican, Volume 2, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1875 — Colfax. [ARTICLE]

Colfax.

The following essay on the career of our eminent statesman, Schuyler Colfax, was written by Miss Matie Howard, a young lady of Rensselaer, and was read by her before the National Normal School, of Lebanon, Ohio: “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow so, great men from common school-boys rise. As the tender branches of the young oak, through the instrumentality of the rootlets, increase in size, beauty, and solidity of texture, day by day, and year by year, till it becomes a mighty tree rearing its lofty head above its forest mates of more rapid growth, so did Schuyler Colfax, a boy of humble circumstances and limited school training, by earnest endeavors and diligent labor, in crease in knowledge and firmness of character step by step, till he became a man of great influence and ability. He was born in the city of New York, in 1823, during the administration of Monroe. His career as a student* was transient, being completed at the age of ten —owing to the death of his father, and the limited means of his mother.— He was sent to the common schools of the city, and while there labored so diligently that he was soon promoted to the high school, where he spent the last two years of his school life. His mother marrying again, Schuyler was compelled to act as clerk in his step-father’s store nntil thirteen years of age, when the family emigrated to Indiana and settled in the village of New Carlisle. Here, again young Schuyler seved as cleik in a common country store; but while he was thus engaged his education was advancing also ; his spare moments were occnpied in reading and studying. He was familliar with the political world and the duties and rights of citizens, and at the age of seventeen he was appointed Deputy Auditor. He then moved to South Bend in order to devote his time better to the fulfillment of his official duties.

It was at this period he began the study of law, and like a true American and Western citizen, he took a practical interest in politics. He was a deep thinker, and by the time he was able to vote, he had published his political views from time to time in the county paoers. His faculty of dealing justly and pleasantly with all classes of men. his natural sobriety and his truthfulness, and clearness of expression, gained for him many friends, and a good reputation for information, and as a good writer. He was employed for two years to report the proceedings of the State Senate to the In dianapolis Journal, and in this he reaped a similar reward. At the age of twenty-two he established a weekly paper called the St. Joseph Valley Register, of which he was both editor and proprietor. It was characterized as being uselul, interes ting, and morally pure; free from the masses of vile detail which so many of our papers to-day, of respectable position’s, contain. In politics he supported the Whig party till its death, when, quoting Mrs. Stowe, ‘dike all of its members of clear heads, progressive tendencies, and decided characters, he joined the Republican party.” But prior t o this he had risen to considerable eminence and influence as a Whig, and had been as a delegate to the National Convention, both to Philadelphia and and to Baltimore, where he was appointed secretary each time. In 1850 he

became a member of the Indiana Constitutional Convention, in which he proved himself to be a judicious legislator, a ready debater,"tod a fine speaker. In 1845-he was dected by -the newlyformed Republican party us Bcpresontative in Congress, and he was re elected for several terms. During the thirtyfourth session, when the “Nebraska bill was pending, the members were composed of the men, thr Administration men, and the Know-Noth-ings ; all of whom were debating and wrangling in regard to a Speaker. At that very critical moment, when the position was almost ready to be delivered over into the hands of a Southern man, who had all the Democrats and the whole South on his side. Mr. Colfax, who was an energetic vibdicator of right, arose and made a motion which seemed to be just the right thing in the right place, and which resulted in the election of an Anti-Nebraska man, and preserved our nation from utter degradat.on. It was during the same session that hemaderhis famous speech on the “Bogus Laws of Kansas ” In the thirty-eighth Congress he was elected Speaker, which position he occupied until 1867/ The Republican Convention at Chicago, in 1868, nominated him Vice President of the United States, amd being the successful candidate, he was inaugurated iu and took his place as President of the Senate, wherj he served faithfully and satisfactorly for four years. In 1873 he was implicated with the charges of corruption brought against the members of Congress who had shares in a speculation in some railroad scheme which was connected government bonds of the Pacific Railroad, known as the Credit Mobilier. He was examined repeatedly by a committee appointed to investigate the subject and their final report was made in .February declaring that the impeachment was groundless, that the alleged offense of bribery, if committed at all, was before he became Vice President. The truth of it was this : Colfax had been led into the speculation without knowing its character, but as soon as he ascertained its nature he dropped it and would have nothing more to do with it ; though the fact of his being connected with it cast a shadow on his character, especially among the Democracy, for they were very jealous of him. and anything they could produce against him, whether just or urjust, they are and always have been, ready to hurl at him in order to destroy the power he had wielded in the affairs of the government. His influence upon the nation has been marked, though his duties have not been so brilliant in their nature as the deeds of some of our great commanders, yet they have been such as to require the greatest courage, forethought, justice, and untiring industry, and few men of his position have wielded a greater or better influence. The city of South Bend and our own State (Indiana) feel proud to claim such a noble character as a resident, and we ihink, had it not been for the slander of the Credit Mobilier, he would undoubtedly have been our next President.