Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-06-03
SCHUYLER CoLFAX.

| AnI4CLStUC, NO SAktdSl Ulc lOllOWl1g
"His open, pleasant face has become
familiar to large audiences throughout
the country, who have listened to his
addresses upon political topics, upon the
late President Lincoln-by whom he Vas
warmly beloved-upon his tour across
! the continent to the Pacific, upon SUBJ
jects connected with the work of The San
itary and Christian Commissions. He is
pure in his personal and moral habits
has broad, outspoken, and catholic SYM
pathy with every good work or reform,
whether political moral, intellectual or re.
ligious, and has the warm and enthusias-
tic confidence Of Christian and temperance
reformers throughout the country. He
attends, and we believe is member of
the Reformed Dutch Church, and is
thorough teetotalist. Without being ed
ucated as a scholar. industrious; ;reading
has given him much Of what is val aluable
in scholarship, unalloyed by its pedantry,
its clannishness, or its egotism, With
out being bred lawyer, pract ical fami.-
iarity with legislation has taught him all
| that is most valuable in law, freed from
| the conservatism and inaptitude for
change and reform which rests like an
incubus on so many Of those minds which
are bred by the habits Of the legal profess
sion to look for precedents which show
what the law has been, rather than to
broad principles which settle what the
| law ought to be. Yet Mr.. Colfax has
frequently shown the happiest familiarity
with precedents, especially in questions
of parliamentary practice. AS a presid-
ing officer he is the most popular the
House has had since Henry Clay. His mar
vellous quickness of thought and talent
for the rapid administration of details, en-
ables him to hold the reins of the House
of Representatives,, even in its most bois-
ferrous and turbulent moods, with as much
ease and grave as Mr.. Bonner would show
the PAGES Of Dexter in Central Park, or
as Gottschalk would tread the keys of
piano, in dreamy maze of faultless, quiv-
ering melody. AS an orator, Mr.. Colfax
is not argumentive, except at clear state
ment and sound judgment are convinc-
ing. He rides no erratic hobbies. He
demands few policies which the average
sense Of intelligent men cannot be made
to assent to on a clear statement of his
position. He is eminently representative
A glance at his broad, we'll balanced,
practical brain, indicates that his leading
faculty is the sum Of all faculties-judg-
ment-and that what he believe the maj-
ority of the people either believes or can
be made to believe. Some men may be
further ahead of the age.
Mr.. Colfax finds sufficient occupation
and usefulness in adapting himself to
times and things as they are, without cut
ting his throat with paradoxes or stealing
march on mankind with some which
they are;very likely to regard as "will-
o'-the-wisp." He has no eccentricties,
but great tact. His talents are admins
trative and executive. He would make
good appointments, and adopt sure poll
cies He would make better President
or speaker of the House than Senator.
He knows men we'll, estimates them cor
rectly, treats them all fairly and candidly.
No mau will get through his business
with you in fewer minutes, and yet none
is more free from the horrid burIesque-
ness of busy men. There are heart and
kindness in Mr.. Colfax's politeness. Men
leave his presence with the impression
that he is at once an honest, able, and
kind man. Political opponents like him
personally, as we'll as his political friends.
We have never heard that he had any
enemies The breath of slander has been
silent toward his fair, spotless fame. The
wife Of his youth, after being for long
time an invalid, sunk to her rest several
years age, leaving him childless. His
mother and sister preside at his recep-
tions, which for many years have been
not the most brilliant, but the most po-
pular of any given at the capital. Social
ly, Mr.. Colfax is frank, lively, jolly
The everlasting I-hood and Us-ness of
great men is forgotten in his presence
His manners are not quite as familiar as
those of Lincoln, but nearly So They
are gentle, natural, graceful, with a bird
like quickness Of thought and motion.
Though manly, they are genial and win
| ming American mothers believe in
| Schuyler Colfax. There are more babies
named for him than for any public man
since Clay. 1t IS sure test Of greatness
when mothers are willing to take the
name Of public man to the baptismal
font, and sacredIy link together that Oft
repeated name, and that tender, unfedged
life with holy prayer. They know that,
come what will, that name, however tried
and tempted, will never disgrace their off
spring. What more shall we say of
Schuyler Colfax? Tho nation honors
him, We are willing to believe he will
some day be President. Whether Presi.
dent or not, he can afford to be right.
"A clergyman happening to get wet,