The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-03-09

A EECk-~REsS<SsEENE 81 20 ia BE
R10RE.
Bro. TILToN must excuse US for copy
ing the following article on our next
President, from the first number of his
Colder 1ge.
''QueTedo says that the punishment of
fddlers in he'll viii be to stand by while
other fiddlers play. We 90 not know ez-
actly how authentic this report con-
corning the lower regions may be; but it
is certainly philosophical. Neither down
there, nor up here, can there be any fires
hotter than those of envy. The punish
aent of politicians in Washington, for
many years, has been to stand by and
hear Schuyler Coliax praised. Consid-
erlng what the most Of them are likely
TO experience in the next world it is GER
tainly rather hard that they should be
put to such torment In this. Perhaps
not since Henry Clay, has there been
among US any personal popularity quite
so warm as that which the Iice-President
enjoyed while he was Speaker of the
House. His star was ascending and
all men and ali women and all children
saluted it. He was the pet of Congress,
the favorite of every drawing room, the
bCdu- I0tdl Vi liic ltCluIC COutl1LtGCS, anu
the 1deal-beau of the young ladies. The
temperance people, the Young Mems
Christian Associations, the rough from
tiers men. and the gold diggers of the
far West, as well as our immense middle
class of virtuous and godly Philistines
everywhere, regarded him as the one pub
lie man who they all cared for and be-
ieved in And as to the newspapers
every journal In America seemed to be
his advertising sheet. Indeed, on one
occasion, in those days. certain misera-
BILE member of Congress, gnawed by jeal
ousy, stood up IN the. House and pro
claimed that he had discovered a pheno
-nenon, to- wit, one number of a newspaper
IN which the name of Schuyler Colfax
was not to be found
But they tell you in Washington now
a-days that it ism as it used to be; that
Schuyler Colfax has struck his highest
number; and that his popularity is wan
ing. Yet they who tell you this possibly
forgot that the city of Washington is not
yet quite SO large as the American CONT
nent, and that it's gossip dies away into
Impalpable vapor before it has travelled
far towards the periphery Of the country.
Very likely his influence in Washington
may suffer somewhat from the dignifed
impotence Of his present ofice-a posi-
tionsike that Of the Lord Lieutenancy of
ireland, which an old Duke of Shrews-
bury declined for the reason that it had
business enough TO keep man from fall
ing asleep, and not enough to keep him
awake. = The Eice-Presidency is an ele
CANT office whose occupant must find it
his principal business to try to discover
what IS the use Of there being any such
Office at all. At any rate it has no pa
tronage; and at the Capital they estI-
mate men with very considerable refer
eaee to their ability to inspire others with
lively expectation OF faYOTs to come
But even ia Washington we doubtifthere
is any real reaction against Mr.. C0lfax;
while outside Of Washington we are sure
that there IS none. OF course there is
charm about the first flush Of young
reputation, which time must surely re-
1zeTe; and it may be that, owing to his
necessary diseonnection from political
measurers, his name is not so often on
the lips Of the people as it used to be-
But this really signifies nothing, fer he
has done nothing which could take his
image from the peoples hearts. At this
moment he IS the most unassailabIe pub
lie man in America.
The career Of Schuyler Colfax has been
pleasant one but it has not vet de
veloped the qualities which can STIR any
profound feeling, or attach to it any per-
manent interest. 1t has not been stuff
clently rugged. adverse, pathetic, or he
role. Peshaps we might say that It's prin-
cipal disadvantage is that it has been
too continuously advantageous. Tt gilt
tiers; it pleases but when it passes into
the august competition of history, is It,
as yet, anything More than commonplace?
Il 10 5NvraF+ap i7v--1--nv R1t
this man Of whom we talk is one who IS
still young. lie has yet a quarter Of
active life before him. Who vii! dare
to say what may not be wrought by one
OF the plest and most earnest OF onr
public men in his brave encounter with
all flat regiment Of rnuffied years
Now hnddled IN the rear and skirts of time"
How if he ceases to be public man
altogether?
That, indeed, was a surprising an
nouncemet flung upon the country last
summer, that this politician of the lucky
star, having reached the highest round
but one in the political ladder, with the
next round within his hopes, in the prime
OF his manhood, in the full glory of his
good fortune, had determined to relax
his hold, and spring to tie ground again
and be forever after private citizen
''What does it mean r. every one asked
1T means an adroit political vancouver"
say ALL who knew themselves to b in
capable OF anything else. 1T means
that he is sick Of politics and really in
tends to get out Of the business" said
another class. IT means-we don t
know what it does mean, said a good
many others. 1t means that Mr.. Col
fax Is poor, that his present Office Is run
ming him into debt that he has young
family, and that having seen the victory
of that great idea under which he came
into public life, and having done his fair
share IN the public service, Re honestly
intends to turn TO some profitable private
vocation, and provide for the comfort Of
his family and the Independence of his
old age. This was said by many
OF his nearest personal friends
We take the latter vaw. We believe
that Mr.. Collax was entirely sincere in
expressing his resolution to retire to q
private station. But We half suspect
that the American people viii step in be-
tween him and his resolution, and COM
pei him to defer it for a while.
The career Of Schuyler Colfax, If not
one to place him among the great histor-
lcai personages Of American statesmen
ship, has certainly this noble quality: it
appeals only TO what is worthy Is an ex-
ample TO aspiring young men. His is q
success which shows what can be won BY
n man Of hi-h personal character, even
without the highest intellectual endow-
nents. He has shown what can be done
among Us By clean-handed politician,
who refuses whisky without loosing
yo5a rho speaks plainly without max
ilg - enemy and who by cheerfulness.
tact, industry, fIendliness, and by doing
well whatever he undertakes to do at al.