Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-04-01

BLAINE VS.. c0LFAx.


The Washington correspondent of the Chi
caso Tribune says. A fine antitletical study
would be that Of Blaine and his predcces-
sor, Coliax They are So like 10 the average
that one has to hesitate before be prefers
either. Coltax is native Of the Empire
State, Blaine Of the Keystone Both are
Middle States men in all essentials of lem
permanent, figure, physiognomy, and hearty
common sense patriotism. Colfax is acct
dcntally New Yorker, being by right Jer-
seyman, and his disposition lacks in some
respects the largcness and "dash" of the me.
tropolis, retaining in some small regards the
traditional traits OF the State of Camden and
Amboy. Blaine, with the open candor of a
rural Pcnnsylyanian, caught the fire of n
kentuckian us he taught school in the Blue
Grass country, and then he pursued a sweet
heart into the State of Maine, and settled
| there. He is fine specimen of how much
better Yankee is for having been first a
Middle State or Western State man. Blaine
has all the better ideas OF New England with
better manners. He is a long-waisted man.
with shoulders square and ready for the
wheel, and there is an itch to thea when he
IS anxious. His eye is piercing and large,
w. ~
orous legs and arms, and often looks soldier
ly, US II cavalry boots and buckskip yalnt
lets would become him. He is Il more man
~ parsonage to the eye than Colfiix, show
Ing throughout his live Irish extraction, and
nc has wit, perhaps imagination, TO match.
lie is strong executive officer, and he di-
| rected the Republican vote of the State of
Maine last year with zeal and energy in
which you could hear his nerves tinglc.
C0lfax is a closer politician than Blaine
not more ardent one, but an astutcr one
had almost said more cunning one. He
puts all his opportunities TO the thriftiest
use. Ills Congressional documents, pack
ages Of garden seeds, tickets of admission TO
public places, abstenious evening receptions.
and whatever other facilities he cnjnys. are
rlsldly applied to the uses chiefly Of those
who are, or may be, his constituents Col
taxs motherly education made him Il moral
| boy, with good habits and fine associations.
| while his natural adrolness directed this
prudent life and engaging manners TO heights
of place such as only genius or re Il force of
character commonly reach. There is neith-
er flint nor fire in Collax, and yet he is n ca
pabe man. He does not resist, but he
avoids he is not scintilant nor energetic.
but satisfactory. His career affords an en-.
cOuraging example to young men not DOS
sessed OF the very first intellectual qualities
as to how far along they can get with good
morals.
Mr.. Colfax, as u presiding officer, was
distinguished for his perfect and available
knowledge of rulings, for the rapidity of his
mind in catching mp appeals, and the ,hrewd-
ness with which he distributed committees.
MIR. Kerr, of Indiana, recently said, at Fer
nand0 Woods dinner that he was Us fair
presiding officer as an opponent could ex-
pcct. This was lukewarm truth Once or
twice Colfax surprised me by leaving the
chair and joining in pitched battle upon
some one point affecting the propriciy Of his
rulings, aud he has displayed much clever
ness in such debate. lie is one of those
anomalous members who show far stronger
In the presiding chair than on The floor.