The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-10-31
Schuyler Colfax.
BY W. S. GEORGE.

A Printing Office has been called "the
poor boys college" Handling the type
is perpetual education in spelling aud
grammar, and affords fine chance to pick
up general knowledge. Ever since Ben.
Franklin's time, it has been noticed that
printers boys who improved their minds,
and took the right turn 10 life, became
useful men, and some of them famous.
Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, Speaker
of the United States House of Represen-
tatives. Is the most shining example,
since Franklin, of a printers bes rising to
high place by self-h help, honesty, and
perseverance. He was born in New York
city but his mother, being left poor
widow there when Schuyler was boy of
thirteen years, 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 Schuyley began work as a
printers apprentice. He was smart, neat
and cheerful, and became a very good
workman, and one whom everybody lik-
ed. His small earnings were the main
stay of his mother; and he never wasted
cent for tobacco, or strong drink, or
low amusements.
When Schuyler was twenty one years
old, he had shown so much talent and in
dustry that friends set him up in a print
ing Office of his own, as publisher and
editor of the st. Joseph Taitey Register,
at the South Bend. He had saved lit
flo h,u onI
ed for the remainder. For more than
twenty years he published the Register,
a good. sized weekly paper, aud paid all
his debts, and got "forehanded." Yet
he had to take all sort of barter for his
paper-wood onions, a quarter of veal,
aud days work in his garden, money be-
ing then scarce in the west Why, beav
er skins were, not many years ago, the
small change of the frontiers, among the
hunters and pioneers, just as bullets were
among our Pilgrim Fathers. People
must have some medium for trade, or all
business would die. Mr.. Colfax lost the
pay for great many of his papers, because
the subscribers had had no money, and
he did not want such things, as they were
able to barter with him. The ''arccn
backs" have helped the western people
very much by supplying them with plen-
ty of money for business.
Mr. Collax made good newspaper for
country people he told them first the
news of his own State and villages, then
of the world abroad, and lastly gave them
bints how to improve the soil and the
mind lie lived where farming was the
chief pursuit; and the Register always
contained a column or two tor farmers es
pecialy so read Though he came from
great city, he never put on city airs or
thought himself any better or wister than
men born and brought up in rural dis
tricts lie was kind, obliging, and soci-
able with every one, and made friends
everywhere. 1t is said that the high
compliment has been paid him in North
Indiana of naming over two hundred boy
babies after him and young Schuyler
Coliaxesp will soon be as numerous as
Henry Clays" and ANDREW Jacksons"
are around the homes of those celebrated
men,
From early childhood Mr.. Colfax had
single ambition, and it was to be Speak
er of the United States House of Repre-
sentatives. He practiced oratory at school,
in debating soeities, aud public meetings
While setting type in printing-otiiees, he
would commit to memory eloquent pas
sages which he met with in his 'eony,