St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-04-21
SPEAKER AVID CLERK OF THE
= HOUSE.

The Washington correspondent Of the N.
Y. Independent sketches these gentlemen as
follows
"Mr. Colfax is about forty y ears ofa
and was born in the city of New York.
His grandfather, General William Colfax,
of New Jersey, commanded Washington's
Life Guards through the Revolutionary
War, and was al intimate companion of
the Father of his Country during the clo-
sing years of the war, sitting daily at his
table. Miss Colfax, whose pleasant face
and manners are familiar TO all who have
frequented the Colfax receptions this win
ter, frequently wears begemmed belt
buckle, worn by Washington during the
Revolution, and presented by him to Mr.
Colfax's grandfather. After Tie war was
over, General Coltax married Miss Hester
Schuyler, cousin of General Philip S.huy-
ler, and from this source comes the given
name of Schuyler. In 1872 General Col
fax commanded at Sandy Hook, and had
the rank of brigadier general Schuyler
Colfax's father was teller in the Mechanics
Bank of New York at the age Of thirty, and
about that time married.the present MIS-.
Mathews, who was but fifteen years DID,
Four months after the death of his father,
Schuyler Colfax was born, inheriting moth
ing from his father but his name. He OBJ
tanned all his education in the common
schools of New York and the high school
then keIt in Crosby street. At ten years
he left school altogether, and at thirteen
| e1eigrated to 1ndiana, with his mother and
her second husband, Mr.. Mathews, who are
now part Of Mr.. Colf,x's family in Wash
ington. Mr. Cclfax has lived in but two
couuties-the county Of New York, and St.
Joseph county, Indiana AT twenty-one he
establishedthe Register, at SouthBend, which
he still publishes At the end, of the first
yea: he was 81, ,375 in debt, but in few
years It became productive property y-and
was then burned out with but little insur.
ance. Mr.Colfax be gan anew, and was more
successful. lIispoli'ical course is known to
all, and need not refer to it here. When
first nominated to the State uScnate of In
| diana, lie declined, because he could not
afford to leave his business. Mr.. Colfax
was never a plaintiff or defendant in court
! justice. Dever drank liquor or wine, but
is an excessive smoker. II, has ba,&;sked
liquor from the House wing Ct tie Capitol,
IN spite Of many protests against it. Since
the war broke out he has given, though d
poor man, nearly $4,000 to sick and wound
ed soldiers, and to enco .'rage volunteering.
Mr.. Colfax has slight figure, gray eyes
and brown hair, and though he has been in
Congress many years, he still leoks young.
His district has already intiniated to him
that they will not permit him to retire ut
the close ofthe present Congress. !:
1.-The Speaker is self made man, and so
is the Clerk of tho House, Edward McPher-
son, who was born at Gettysburg; Pa, in
1880. At eleven years, he began, to learn
the printing misunderstanding between
school ahd printiIs 6 :otice. He was good,
practical printer and 8; clever scholar;
graduated at Pennsylvania College, Gettys-
burg, in 1913, with the honors of his class,
and spent the winter in Harrisburg in re-
porting and writing for the newspapers.
During the gubernatorial campaign of 1851
he edited the Daily american, Harrisburg.
and subsequently edited other papers in
Pennsylvania. In 1878 he first attract
cd attention throughout the State by an
able series Of articles upon the proposed
sale Of the Public ImI rovements of the
State. No attempt was made to reply to
! his arguments. or to overthrow his facts;
and the Democracy reluctantly consented
to the measi,re.. Mr.. McPhcrsen by this
time had secured State reputation, and
in the fall of 1858 he was elected to Con-
grcss. He was reelected in 1860, and de-
feated in 1862, owing to stuart's raid,
which prevented full vote from being poll
ed. Mr.. Chase appointed him Deputy Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue, and last
December hs vas elected Clerk of the
House.
''Mr. MCPHERSON, like Mr.. Colfax, has a
slight figure, and as he moves Quietly over
the House, intent upon the duties fhis Of
fee, he has the appearance Of young stu
dent rather than OF q public man with a
national reputation. He has clear blue
eyes and light hair. No one can look
him in the face and doubt his integrity of
character. He is expert in business, to
be trusted under all circumsta ances and will
make the best Clerk the House has had
for many years. 10
1t is singular, but it is fact, that the,.
has Been no House fox:years with Speak
er or Clerk so ready, aaab'e and popular as
Mr.. Colfax and Mr.. Mcpherson Yet they
grew up from poverty, by industry and, q
courageous confidence in themselves, to
their present exalted positions"
-5 5%s j--------0> .3..
rs A coUNTRYMAN once brought q piece Of
hoard tn nm artist with tho ronuaat that ba