Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-05-27
Eloquent Speech of Speaker Colfax in Response
TO a Serenade,

ne loiIoWlng Is the eloquent, pat
riotic and modest speech, made by
Speaker CoLFAx, to the crowd who
visited his house, at " ashington, on
Friday evening, to serenade and con
graduate him. 1t viii be seen that
he docs not once allude to himself
After-"T cheers for SCHUYLER
COLFAX, our next Vice President y
he was introduced by Congressman
PIKE, of Maine, in few happily chos-
Ell words, to which he replied as fol-
lows:
My FRIENDS Il thank you, with
all the emotions of greattul heart,
for this tlattering manifestation of
your confidence and regard, l CON
graduate you on the auspicious open
ing OF the eventful campaign on which
We are entering. The Chicago Con
ventloa, representing the entire con
tlnental area of the Republic, every
State, every Territory, every district
and every delegate, from ocean to
ocean, declared that theiI Ggst and on
ly choice for President was ULYSSES
). Grant. Applause. Brave and yet
unassumlng reticent, and yet, when
necessary, firm as the eternal hills ;
Applause. with every thought and
nope and aspiration, for his country ;
with modesty only equalled by his
merits, 1T Is not extravagant for me
to say that he Is to-day the man, of
all other men in the land, first in war.
first in peace, and first in the hearts
of his countrymen. Great applause |
HIS name Is the very synonym of VIC
tory; and he will lead the Union hosts
to triumph at the polls, as he led the
Union armies 70 triumph in the field
But greater even than the conquer
er of Y icksburg and the destroyer of
the rebellion, is the glorious inspira-
tlan Of our noble principles. Anma-
ted By the sublime proofs of the Dec
laratlon Of independence, our banner
bears an inscription more magnetic
than the names of It's standard bear
ers, which the whole world can see as
1t floats on the breeze-Liberty and
Loyalty, Justice and Public Safety.
Defyiug all prejudices, we are for up
lifting the lowly and protecting the
oppressed. Applause History re-
cords, to the immortal honor Of our
organization, that it saved the nation
| and emancIpated a race We struck
the letters from the limbs of the slave,
and lifted millions into the glorious
sunlight of liberty. We placed the
emanclpated slave on his feet like a
man, and put into his right hand the
ballot TO protect his manhood and his
rights. We staked our political ex-
lstence on the reconstruction Of the
revoIted States, on the sure and eter-
nal cornerstone of loyalty, and we
shall triumph. l know there is no
holiday contest before as ; but, with
energy and zeal, with principles that
humanity will approve, and that, /
believe, God Will bless. we shall 90
through the contest, conquering and
to conquer; and, on the 4th of March
next, the peoples champion Will be
borne by the people votes to Wonder
W hlte House, which, | regret to saw.
Is now dishonored by its unworthy oc.
! cupaut.
Then, with peace and confidence,
we may expect our beloved country
| to enter upon career of prosperity
which shall eclipse the most brilliant
annals of our past. | bid YOU God
speed IN this work,-and now good
night