Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-06-08
4 Pen Fjcjarc ~ Schuytcr C0Tor
ia his "Den."

cial confusion. Here the Speaker hides
himself away from pages and harpics,
and works unassstcdly ut his speeches
and his correspondence, the latter of IL
sell Is drudgery as great and exciting
as any accountants.
But lighthouse never grows Old af-
ter hundred years its flame isas youth
full az when it began. The pure, unaf-
tected, radiant chccrfulness of Mr.. Col
| fax keeps him as rosy and hopeful as
any boy. Here Ae sits, smoking his ci-
gar, surprise iIa#heU midst of Il smile.
for all his thVd ITS are good compan
| ions.
took Il seat before him, and while he
answered some questions | had brought
| tried to make out his face and charac-
ter-a very difficult type was both OF
them, for country of which the Speak
er Is so representative, and yet of Il tenn
| permanent so uncommon.
We are sober minded PEOPLE. with
lines of thrift and anxiety in our faces,
like the marks of whip and burden. We
go to law and go to church with the
same countcnances. We want to make
money fast, and on the way and after
the end we have remorses, aches,
wounded sell-esteem, asceticisms. The
air, the soil, the worry and the hurry of
American life provincialize The Amcri-
can into hard, repellant, dreadfully
ever-earnest man, with skin, q stom-
ach, and q soul equally dyspeptic.
Out of this population Il face grows,
a stock-yard, all freshness and color,
and quick to feel the earliest breezes.
This is Mr.. ColiaX. His life is pcren-
NAL hopefulness, having good con-
science for its compass, and for its bal
last temperament that is equal a. an
hour glass. Full of the elasticity of the
Empire City, a Widows son, born forty
five years ago. with parentage reach
ing back on one side to the Schuylcrs,
on the other to an officer of Washing
tons body guard. At ten years Of age
his schooling ceased and he had found
new father At thirteen he quilted
New c York and his step-father's store
for home in Indiana. AT twenty he
was an editor; twelve hundred dollars
III debt. AT twenty-seven he wasa cam
didate for Congress, already young
WidoWer, made sadder but manlier by
deserved love. AT thirty he was Con-
gresham, as he has been ever since,
and three times elected Speaker of the
House, the third position in the nation.
AT the base of this successful career we
lind neither wealth, chicanery, nor pat
ronage, but good citizenship, faithful
pupllc services, steadfast self-respect,
and cheerful temper. 1t is quiet ca
reer of success under Republican insti-
tutlons, with steady talents, quick per-
ceptions, and excellent confidence. His
model in the State has been Henry CLAY.
whose manners were like his own, and
he confesses to have modelled his speak
ershlp upon Clay's career as Speaker of
me House. ''Never hOping,n he saws,
ITO reach this high standard, it has ev-
er been before my mind, as the sculptor
studies the model of the Great Master of
his art" In this position he has never
been traduced till of late, when, during
the impeachment trial, the majority of
the House cOnnived at certain quarrels,
but the Speaker himself has aimed in
his own language, to make all "forget-
ful of the asperities which should perish
with the occasion that evokes them.n
MIR. ColfaX is a member of the Dutch
reformed Church, and total abstinence
Is one OF his private principles. He is
smoker however, and loving traveller
by foot and stage. His oratory is ferved
and ilorid together, and has served his
party handsomely in trying times,
while his judgment is guarded, yet deci-
sive as his mode of speech OF his
speeches | have collected some illustra-
lions from various parts OF the GLOBE.
Thus he said Of the employment of
negro troops:
II do not call negro soldiers better
than white ones. If / were to cXpress
my own opinion it would be that those
OF my own color are better and drawer.
For have always told you, in spite of
charges to the contrary, that believed
the Anglo-SaXon race was superior to
any other that walk the foOtstool of
God -
So he said Of moral faithfulness in leg.
islation:
!. Whether travelling in the valley of
humiliation or disaster, or keeping my
eye fixed on the heavens | believe God
reigns. | don't believe his blessing will
fall on the Confederacy. Gods Ways
are sometimes dark, but sooner or later
they reach the shining hills of day p
He first announced the Republican
platform afterthe breach with Mr.. John !
son, thus:
Let us make haste slowly, and we
can then hope that the foundations of
our government, when thus reconstruc-
Ted on the basis of indisputable loyalty,
will be as eternal rs the stars
IL like manner, on April 10, 1866, when
he made mild but manly issue with
Johnson, he said of the Civil Rights
bill, in the first moment of its enact
mont:
THAT law misrepresented as it has
been by its opponents in Congress, will |
never be repealed, and in the years that
are coming, it will be the proudest re-
collection and the crowning honor of
those men who stood up in the national |
councils, that they gave to that Ameri- |
can Magma Charta their cordial sup
port y
He treated in this way taunt of the |
Democracy.
''The new nickname flung at us is |
Radicals | had rather be called a |
Radical than rebel at any tins. | am
q Radical for right against wrong; for