Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-06-19
Schuyler COlfax and the SOldiers-Refu-
tatiOn of COpperhead SlanderS.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis journal:
In Saturdays Journal you published the
card OF Hon. Schuyler Colfax denying the
statement in the Sentinel of late date
signed N. M. Moore, charging that in 1862,
while Moore was soldier, he called upon
Mr.. Colfax in Washington, and was treated
with insulting indifference and rudeness.
You very properly inquired after the mill
tary pedigree of this man Moore, but l
perceive that to-day's Sentinel gives you
no light on the subject.
Surely Mr.. Colfax did not think there
was any need of denying that statement to
us Indianians With our admirable ar
rangementsf for the safe-keep ing oflunatics
and imbeciles, we fiatter ourselves that we
have nobody at large among us who would
believe such charge as that against our
favorite fellow citizen, the next Vice
President. But the libel was for the pur
pose of prejudicing persons not so init
mately cOnversant with his history as are
we, and it is well that the denial is pub
lished, and " the lie nailed to the counter, !"
as you expressed it. Let me give the nail
little cI5asch. Rendering that the name
of Schuyler Colfax had met my eye several
times while running over the list of con-
tributors to the Indiana Sanitary Commits
sion during my term as general travelling
agent, this day communicated with DIR.
Hannaman, late President Of the COmmis-
sion, desiring to know what amount
Mr.. Colfax had contributed to that fund.
Mr.. Hannaman being on the eve of his
departure to attend a meeting of the man.
ayers of the Soldiers Home, could not
furnish written statement in time for
this letter. He states, however, that he
remembers that on one occasion, when an
appeal for funds was made, among the re-
sponses came 800 apiece from Speaker
Colfax, Joseph A Wright and Henry S.
Lake. On another occasion, while in
Congress, Mr.. Colfax sent 500, and final
ly, when Congress adjourned, and other
members drew their mileage and pocketed
it, Mr.. Colfax drew his mileage, and sent
his entire amount, $500, to be used under
the direction of the Governor and Com
mission for the relief of the sick and
wounded soldiers. 1t is notorious that the
benefactions of Mr. Colfax were not re-
stricted to our own State, but the above
may suffice to answer the aspersiOns of
those who, while Mr.. Colfax was not only
giving his money, but exerting his ut
most energies to secure such legislation as
would afford ample supplies for the army,
were crying, "Not another dollar nor an
other man for this abolition war;" But
Mr.. Colfax will pardon me if | mention
another circumstance, showing that if, as
Moore has it, "he had no time to fool
away with soldiers" he had some precious
time to give away to soldiers, as well as
money, too, in the betrayal of his own ex-
penses.
Our people will remember that no sooner
had Governor Morton ("tbe nohlast
Roman of them al" in the galaxy of
Union Governors and friends to the
soldier), succeeded in getting our men
home from the war, than he projected the
enterprise that has eliminated in the
establishment of our beautiful Soldiers
Home at Kingstown Springs.
The Soldiers Home Association has
fitted up the old Military Hospital at the
capitol as comfortably as possible, and al
ready had near a hundred fragments of
men, who had left part of their bodies on
the battlefield. AS yet the State had made
no provision for the Soldiers Home, and
Captain Atkinson and myselfwere running
everywhere begging funds to defray its ex-
penses. We were also getting up festivals,
concerts, and lectures for the purpose.
To our delight, Schuyler Colfax was the
first, and, by far, the most liberal, respond
ent we ever had to our call for lecturers.
He wrote me, consenting TO come to our
State Immediately upon the adjournment
of Congress, and deliver eight lectures in
behalf of our " Home" but instead of ac-
cepting compensation for time and ex-
penses, he stipulated that he would not ac-
cept of anything whatever. But let me
quote from the letter before me; 81 state