Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-07-03
VICE PRESIDENT COLFAX AT HOME
II 1'e@isy "etcone Extended to Him
His RespOpse


His Response.
Vice President Colfax. with his wife
and enid: arrived at South Bend or
Tuesday morning, on the early train.
MI Coltax is III good health and excel
lent spirits. To those of his friends
whom ne met on the streets, Dem
ocrats and Republicans alike, he
expresses entire satisfaction in the re
suit at Fhiladel phia. In the evening
he was serenaded, and responded in a
half hours speech.
MI. Coltax said he had tried to avoid
this reception, but the affectionate re-
gard OF his neighbors and friends. so
often illustrated heretofore, seemed to
adhere to him more closely in the ap-
preaching close of his public life. He
spoke of the obligations he bad been
under from his boyhood to MANY of the
thousands before him, who had not
only supported him, but had educated
their children and their children's
children to believe in him also. He
SAID that when leading and prominent
Republicans insisted that he had no
right to fix the time when his public
lie should terminate, and that it would
be selfish and wrong for him to refuse
MS name If the party desired the old
ticket, he yielded to that appeal but
when majority of the convention de
termlned that it would strengthen the
ticket to nominate another, he prompt
ly telegraphed his adhesion to the new
ticket, and would have been fsithless
indeed, after having been a candidate
before the convention, if he had not.
He desired now to add that he hoped
to re ioice with them over election in
October OF Governor Browne. I,ieuten-
ant Governor Saxton, and the rest of
the Republican ticket, down to his old
friend, Sam Tut, the real estate ap
praiser, onl y regretting that he had not
more real estate for him to
appraise. He spoke of the principle
that had controlled his whole life from
the constitutional convention twenty
two years ago, when, as their repre-
sentative, he had in O small minority
denounced the article which prohibited
negroes from entering this state as @
disgrace to civilization and humanity,
and which every one now repudiated,
although then adopted by many thou
sands majority. He had sought to lift
up the down-trodden, and to secure
liberty, protection and equality under
the law to all !; and he reioiced that no
one now throughout the land dared
openly to oppose these principles.
He added that, throughout his term, no
temptation of any kind should induc-
him to drift into antagonism to the
President, and that his name should
not become IN any way a nucleus of
dlsattectlon, or a wedge of discord
Wherever he differed as to public poll
cy, he preferred rather to counsel pri-
vately, than by public protest. to
awaken or ferment d1scord. While
constantly Urging unity, harmony and
conciliation, as political necessities to
keep party of three millions united
and victorious, he lamented all
divisions, and, welcoming the season
of rest and quiet before him, instead of
the career OF labor and responsi bility
of the past twenty years. He said he
should prove in the home life he expect
ed to enjoy with the people who had
given him such lifelong attachment,
that he was as earnest and consistent
Republican IN private life as when in
public station.
The speech was followed with hearty
cheering for the speaker, then for
Grant and Colfax, and then for Grant
and Wilson, when the crowd dispersed.