Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-01-11
Mr.. CoIfax and the Vice Presidency

The South Bend Register of Jan
4th, has the following concerningvice
President Colfax, whose home is in
that place:
The last issue Of Hdrper's Weekly says
that Mr.. Colfax has frankly admitted
that notwithstanding his avowed inten-
ton to retire from public life at the
close of his present term, yet if NOM
ination is offered him by the Republi-
can Convention, lie will feel bound to
acceptit it, and it further says that the
nomination would probably be accept
able to him.
We have heard Mr.. Colfax express
himself freely and frankly on his in
intention to retire from public life at
the expiration of the time for which he
was elected, and of his earnestness and
desire to do so, there is not the least
doubt, and he has many reasons for so
doing. He received eight nominations
by his party for Congress, and three
unanimous nominations by his political
associates in the House of Representa-
tives for Speaker. He was nominated
for Vice President on the ticket with
General Grant in spite Of geographical
locality, over many distinguished COM
petitors. When elected ,he announced to
his most intimate friends that there he
intended to halt, and after he had serv-
ed that term not to be aspirant to that
or any other Office. His greatest am
bition was satisfied, and he had no de-
sire to take step higher. Twenty
years of political support was as much
as he could expect, and he claimed that
at the next National Convention, with
Gen. Grant as the nominee for Presi-
dent, the East or South he'd a right geo.
graphically, to expect the second Office,
and he would cheerfully support the
nominee, and labor as ivate citizen
for the principles he haC so earnestly
maintained.
Another reason for Mr.. Colfax desir-
ing to retire to private life is that he is
by no means a wealthy man, in the COM
mon acceptance OF the term. From the
day he became Speaker of the House up
to the present hour his expenses have
exceeded his receipts. The Vice Presi-
dent has to live in Washington in
style becoming the second highest offic-
er in the nation, land on the present mea-
gre salary, nearly one-half of it goes
for house rent alone. Every man likes
to lay up something for 'rainy day.
Mr.. Colfax is an excellent business man
and has many good offers awaiting ac-
ceptation when his term ends, at high
salaries, some of which he would no
doubt accept but a desire to live in this
city, where he has been citizen for
over 80 years, and for whose citizens he
has had such candid and earnest
friendship and regard. Accordingly
last year he invested largely in furni-
ture factory and chair factory here,
and has accepted the Vice Presidency of
each company.
Mr.. ColfaX supposed that there would
be no trouble in his retiring to private
life and their laboring for the party
which had placed so much confidence
in him and had crowned him with so
many honors. But when there is such |
a strong desire manifested in the party |
to again place him on the ticket with |
Grant, desire that reaches from Sena-
tors down to the humblest in the ranks,
we do not see how he can reject the
or, as has been said, throw
it back in their faces. Hdrper'S Weekly
judges him wrongfully when it says the
would be acceptable to him.
We know that his greatest wish is to re-
tire to private life, but we believe also
that it would be wrong for Mr.. Colfax
to reject an unanimous denomination.