New-York tribune., 1868-11-05


econonIize. for his means were yet very i''e"' no
coon mastered tho art sufficiently TO help out Oh
a. drag but he never attained 20 any great pfoii-
io,cv in the business his editorial abors, tie bus-
oss of the Office and other duties soon claiming MS
ontire attention. The Register prospered, ana so""
became source of profit to its proprietor. ie coh-
timed lrs connection with this paper until three OF
four wears ago writing regular weekly ieItor ioi
;ts columns during his first two terms i'll Congress.
Tn 1913 Mr. COlfax was chosen as delegate anu
elected as Secretary of the Convention whlon ho,l
mated Gen. Taylor for the Presidency III i"''
bo renrcsented st. Joseph County In the Con-
yention which framed the present COhS''u''o"
Of Indiana. In this Convention he opposed
r;tb all his ability, the adoption of the clause
nrob;b;ting free colored men from settling In the
STATE His opposition to this was the cause
of his defeat the following year when nominaiea lPI
Congress- i'll opposition to Dr. Fltch Dut i;t;ai a."
the ability tact and shrewdness of tins OLD potca
wre-wOrker he only distanced his young competitor
200 votes in district which had been strongly DEM
ocratic for years In 1852 he was again delegate 10
the Wing National Convention; lie TOOK an actNo s
part i'm the campaign which followed, speaking often
and writing much. In 1884. when the great ueep
of Indiana Democracy was broken up, ana lne , olu
Uunkers laid in u grave from which II Is hopeu ihey
may never be raised The was renomlnaed anu eject
ed 70 Congress and was consequently more active ih
ever before. In 1856 he was again noniasu ;ortv tV
Congress and reelected by handsome majority.
His entrance into Congress was IN the MIDST Oh Tue
great struggle over the Lecompton swlnde;
writer saws of his maiden speech IN the HOUSE
His first speech in Congress went forth 10 repel
the tide of terror which was sweeping over strug-
Cling Kansas and clearly showed that even then no
was one of the best debaters in the lower h9use
| circulated-a compliment perhaps never before re-
ceived by any member of Congress. He was inst
chosen Sneaker of the XXXNlllth Congress by
vote of 1Ol TO ST. He has been thrice elected TO the
same position each time by an increased majority.
He was appointed Chairman Of the Committee on
Pos-Of and Post t-Roads on the organization OF
the XXXVllth Congress- and did much TO eAtehd
mail facilities throughout the West. lie was one Oh
the first advocates, and is still one OF the WarheSt
| friends Of the Pacific Railroad. Indeed ne taxes
warm interest in any movement looking to the de-
velopment of the b0undless resources of tne great
West. 1t was doubtless, the interest he feels IN this
section of the country which induced him to take MS
celebrated trip Across the Continent" us tilp
| was perilous one, but his welcome at " the other
end of the line" was so spontaneous truly gennMe, M
aud heartfelt that it more than repaid MN LOT a INC
dangers and hardships he passed through. lnls
| trp prepared him for one of the most enteTt,lh-
ING lectures ever delivered III this country; lie mas
now served in succession IA years in the House He
was urged but he declined tn accept seat III lIo
United States Senate, prefer1ng his presiding cnli, @
in the House. As presiding officer ne Is te ioI.
popular the House has had since Henry Gay,
writer in "Puinams Magazine truly observes Una. tna'
| Mr. Colfax has eccentricities. but great thcl.
His talents are administrative and exeeutlIe rather
| than deliberative He would make good appoint
| ments and adopt sure policies. lie woud MAKE q
better President or Speaker OF the House tnal S1
treats them all fairly and candldly No man VIII GET
through his business with you in fewer minutes, ana
yet none Is free from the horrd brrsq.eacs 9i
busy men. There are heart and kindness III MI Coz
fax's politeness. Men leave his presence win the
impression that he is at once an able honest, ana
kind man: Political opponents IKE nm PERSONALLY
az well as his political friends. We have never heard
that he has any enemies. The breath oil sander mas
been silent toward his fair. spotless fame. Inc
| wife of his youth. after being for long time
an invalid sank 10 her final rest several
years ago, leaving him childless. His mother
| and sister preside Mt his receptions, wlnch Ior
many years have been, not the most brilliant Dut
the most popular of any given at the capital. So
cially Mr.. Cofax is frank lively jolly. 1t may be
| that he feels his oats IN some degree; but ulghty
| hasn't spoiled him. The everlasting lhOod and Us
ness of great is forgotten III his presence lils
manners not quite so familiar rs those oi LIN
| full, with brd-hke or business-like qulekness OF
thought and motion But they are very far from the
| high and mighty style Of Sumner or the judicial
| coldness of Fessenden, Sherman, and Trumbull
! Though manly, they genial and winning; Amer
lean mothers believe in Schuyler ColfaN. There are
more babies named for him than for any public man
since Clay" The intimacy and confidential r.atlohs
| of Mr. COlfaX with Mr. Lneo In are well known
They labored hand in hand as brothers In the cause
of the Union holding frequent and prolracted ini9l &
views all subjects looking 10 the overthrow oil he
Rebellion for there were no divriOns between the
executive and legislative branches OF the Gov
| ernment then as there now. During the darkest
hours of that bloody drama which shall ever remain
| "a reproach upon the people oi one section oi Inc
nation they ever cheerful and hopeful Conn
dent in the business of the wagod for the preser-
walton of the Uuion and placing Christian reliance
in that providence which guides and shapes the des-
tiny of nations great rcyerses, which caused others
10 fear and tremble, at times, almost To despair,
seemed only to inspire them with greater zeal and
hrmer belief in the ultimate triumph OF our cause,
Mr.. COlfaX is rather under the medium hight. with
a form firmly aud compactly nodded Ills halr is
brown now slightly spTinkled with gray; eyes blue;
forehead h gh and arching indicating great percep-
tive faculties and deep veneration. His face is open
and frank and yet unmarked by age. tie possesses
great vitality, and endure an extraordinary
| t,f al.n Wit lint
pied with his temperate habits has caused him 10
wear his age well that but few persons would place
him even at 4O lie is yet III the prime and vigor Of
manhood with all his and responsibilities, as
| buoyant Us most people at 80.
| THE DEFEATED CANDIDATES.