Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-01-23
A LETTER FROM SPEAKER
COLFAX.
for GOvernOr-The Policy
Congress will Pursue.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., January IL, 1868.
MI DEAR Sir: Although | do not be-
lieve in declining nominations before thew
are rendered, and have rot announced NV
self as candidate for any Office whatever,
yet frank reply is due to your INQUIRY
relative to the guberLatorial nomination,
and the more so because The Republican
county conventions are now being held.
When my name was first suggested for it
happened to be in Evansville, and, in
response to an inquiry on the subject BY
Colonel Foster, of the Evansville Journal,
replied, as he afterwards published, that
tUds not, and could not be q cdndi-
date for Governor. My fellow members
have honoTed me with an election as their
Speaker. the term Of which office does not
expire until March 4, 1869; and, since that
election, declined q remunerative bust
ness offer, because Principle and Duty re-
quired me to serve out the full term OF the
Office whose obligations and responsible
ties / had accepted. 1t would be, there
fore. both unjust and impossible to change
the determination thus publicly announ-
ced,
The hopeful boasting of our opponents
by no means new. When the Thirty
Eighth Congress adjourned its first session,
in the summer Of 1864, our enemies were
even more sanguine than they now profess
to be. As we babe them goodbye here.
they predicted most sweeping victory at
the polls; and, at the Chicago Convention.
this confidence was most arrogantly and
exultingly expressed Their rejoicing de-
clarations that Mr.. Lincoln would have TO
flee from Washington the ensuing March,
In Scotch cap" &c, can not be forgotten
by any Indianian who heard them. With
| the increased taxation compelled by the
pro.raction Of the war, and the draft-law
in operation as a military necessity, all
over the land during the canvass, the PEG
pie turned their boastings into grief, and in
spite Of the prejudices these acts invoked
against us, we won the most Overwhelming
victory ever known at q contested Presi-
Dental election.
In the summer Of 1866, when the Thirty.
Ninth Congress adjourned its first session,
our opponents. encouraged by the aposta-
| cy Of the Administration, which turned lis
whole power against the party that had
conferred II, were no less sanguine and
boastful than they had been two years be-
fore; bat again the people overwhelmed
them at the polls, rs they will once more
1 - 'c~cs ~ " Cot ahity anu CuCASy We
prove that we desire and deserve success
Congress will again prove itself worthy
Of the confidence loyal and patriotic
people have so long reposed in it. We
shall fearlessly face and settle all the finan.
cial questions growing out Of the enor-
nous cost OF the Democratic rebellion
Ofcoursc, do not attempt to predict, al
this early period Of the session, all the
details of its legislation. But, speaking
only as one member OF the House, / have
no doubt that Congress will refuse tc
unwisely burden the peop.e with attempts
| to pay off the national debt by excessive
taxation; that it viii stop the contraction
policy. assented to as II was, on the urgent
appeal of the Secretary Of the Treasury
but which has so paralvzed business
without reducing the gold premium OF
bringing the country nearer TO specie pay.
menfs; Il win not consent that 80 large an
amount or gold shall be uselessly boarded
up In the Treasury vaults, when It might
be applied more probably and wisely to
! the reduction of The istercst on the nation.