The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-11-21
Schuyler COEfaX.

Schuyler COIfax.
A printing Office has been called H.he
poor boys college," Handling the type
> perpetual education IN spelling and
grammar, aud affords fine chance &c, pick
up general knowledge Ever since Ben.
Frankhn's time, it has been noticed that
printer boys who improved their minds
aod took the right turn IN life became
useful men, aud scme of them famous.
Schuyler Coifax, Of Indiana, Speaker
of the United States House of Represen-
tatives, is the most shining example since
Franklin of u printer boy rising to high
place by self-help, honesty, and perseve-
rance. He was born in New York city
but his mother being left poor widow
there when Schuyler was boy of thir-
teen years, she took him from the public
schools and removed to the West, that
land of promise. This was IN the year
1886. The family settled In Northern
Indiana, and Schuyler began work as
printers apprentice. He was neat aud
cheerful, and became very good work
man. His small earnings were the main
/ stay of his mother; and he never wasted
cent for tobacco, or strong drink, or soW
| amusements.
When Schuyler VAS twenty-oue years
old, some friends set him up ~ printing
| Office of his own, as publisher and editor
of The 81. Joseph Valley Register, at South
| Bend. He had saved little money from
his wages, aud got trusted for the remain
| der. For more than twenty years he
published the Register, gOod-sized week
ly paper, and paid all his debts, and got
"forehanded." Yet he had to take all
gert of barter tor his paper--wo0d, onions,
quarter Of veal, and days work IN his
! garden, money being then scarce IN the
| West. Beaver skins were not many years
ago the small change Of the frontiers,
among the hunters and pioneers, just as
bullets were among the Pilgrim Fathers.
People must have some medium Tor trade,
or all business would die Mr. Colfax
lost the pay for great many of his pa
pers, because his Subscribers had no mon
ey, and be did not want such things as
they were aoe TO barter witE him.
Mr. Cofax made good newspaper for
country people He told them first the
news of his own village and State, then OF
the world abroad, and lastly gave them
hints how to improve the mind. tie
lived where tarmidg was the chief pur-
suit and the Register always con tanned u
column or two tor the farmer. Though
: he came from great city, he never put
on city airs, or thought himself any bet
ter or wiser than men born and brOugh hi
, up in rural districts. He was kind, obi
ging, and sociable with every one, aud
made friends everywhere. 1t is said that
the high compliment has been paid him
/ in Nort5 Indiana of naming over twc
. hundred boy-babies after him.
t From early childhood Mr.. Colfax had
! single ambition, aud it was to be Spea
ker of the United States House Of Rep
resentatives. He practiced oratory al
, school, in debating societies, aud public
meetings. While setting type in printing
offices, he would commit tO memory elo
; quent passages which he met with in hi!
: ''copy," as he swiftly formed letters int
1 words, and words into sentences and h
would dec.aim those passages to Lis moth
err after his days work was done. Ben!
handsome youth, about medium size
7 with bright eyes and clear voice, he be
3 came Gu attractive speaker at an earl,
: age To-day he is one Of the most char
? ming orators of America. He is hare
student in gathering facts and forming
t ideas, and an easy speaker in telling VIA
q he has learned. His training as Friute
: made him correct and exact; and his fu
e ency of tongue and his kindly feelinl
: gave him slrong hold upon an audience
, He causes them to laugh and weep b
S turns. and he never Wearies them.
: He learns by seeing, and not alone b
+; reading and talking. Many persons g
: through the world with their eyes hal
t shut TO the curious things in nature an
life, but it is not so with Mr.. Colfax. II
3 has taken journey by land to Californi
:. and back and his lecture, "Across tn
5 Continent" which he has spoken to thou
d sands of people, shows keen Observable
t, of, and power to describe, the grandeur
d American scenery and the oddities of s.
h ciety 10 the far, Ter west.
e At the early age of twenty-seveu NJ
Colfax was elected a member OF the Coz
Ie vention to revise the State Constitution
of Indiana He did so well IN that capacit
70 that four years later he was elected a mer
a. Der of the United States House OF Repr
ns seutatives by nsjori,y OF seventeen hu
i'll dred and sixty-six votes. He has be-
II six times reelected, By msjorities rsngit
g. from t~o hundred and twenty uips 10 thr