The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-10
Reception of Ex-vlcc President
-Colfax at South Bend sind.

course OF CltiZenS met MIN. upon en-
tering the carriage, three cheers were
given him, when Mr.. Colfax said: 81
will speak to you at the Court House
My heart thanks you sll." The escort
consisting Of carriages and wagons, filleC
the streets as far as the eye could reach
while the side walks were filled with pc
destrians. AT the Court House the square
and streets were closely packed, making
the largest gathering ever assembled
here, and was irrespective OF party
Flags were flying and bells were ringing
during the time Of the procession. Many
children In gala day costume were II
front oI the private residences on the
way waving flags. Arriving at the Conr
House, Hon. William Miller, Mayor
read tue following address of welcome:
ION behalf OF your tOwnsmen and
friends It is my pleasant duty to speak the
words that but family express your well
come home to the city, county, and dis
trlct OF which from childhood you have
been resident. The constituency you
have so long and worthily represented,
and the friends who from youth to man
hood have looked with pride upon your
success IN life, bid you welcome, and bid
me 10 express 10 you their continued con-
fidence and undiminished regard. You
are no stranger here. The citizens who
first saw and appreciated the struggles,
perseverance, and honorable ambition OF
your early life; who have long associated
with you as neighbor and q fellow citi-
zen; who have with jealous pride seen and
felt the results Of your constant efforts on
the side of the principles Of justice and OF
right as their immediate representative,
conceive themselves best qualified TO give
the estimate Of your character and rem
der Just verdict upon your charac-
ter. That verdict has been BY them
freely, promptly, and justly Civ
en-. Neither the insinuations Of in
siduous foes nor the charges of open enc.
mics can change II; nor Gun tho calumny
or detraction rob yOu'Ol the well deserv-
ed esteem OF your friends and neighbors
Of that confidence in your integrity, ever
felt by them, and now by consistent,
blameless and pure, private and public
life cannot be destroyed by the machina-
tions and artifices OF scheming tricksters
to impair or impede your course OF use
lulness 10 your country. Your future ad-
vancement to the highest honors by the
republic to its worthiest citizens we shall
ever, as heretofore, whether as public
representative or a private citizen, or the
fuIure recipient oil any still higher honors.
We gladly welcome your return TO our
midst, keeping unimpared our full trust
in character for truth, integrity and
patriotism which has been so well merit
cd, and retain that affection for your per-
son nd'character that has led and will
ever lead US to proudly call you our
Schuyler"
Three cheers were then given for
Schuyler Collax.
Mr.. Colfax then responded as follows:
'Mr. Mayor, neighbors, and dear friends,
nv heart would be cold and callous, in
deed, as it is not, II it did not throb more
quickly and happily at such a welcome
home as this one with which am honor.
I'd and the gratitude for which it would
lake life time to exhibit. Here you
laye known me from childhood; my
yoings out and comings in have been be-
fore your eyes; my character has been
formed In your midst, and you know
whether for paltry sum OF money l
would be induced to shipwreck 1t, when
you come hither by the thousands, spon-
.aneously, and as / am glad to be told,
md glad TO know, not confined to political
'riends alone, but participated by prom
nent and lifelong political opponents, to
lonor me with such unmiStakable mani
Of your unabRted confidence
md aiiectionate regard. l feel 1t due to
1ou as well as to myself, 10 expose the
liter Injustice of the cruel charges on
which i have been arraigned during the
past month. If ! had been a confessed
ind wicked criminal, l could not have
been pursued with 10 more malignity
Oy portion Of the American
DTess and their Washington cores
Dondents day after day. Every possible
has been exaggerated
and telegraphed as absolute proof
5f guilt. Day after day 1t has been
demanded that I should explain this or
that or the other point, but when explain
ed the same malicious enemies have tor
tured and perverted and misrepresented
he explanations, determined II possible,
that the reputation ofthe man they hated
should be destroyed, and as day by day
they thus poisoned the public mind they
reloiced almost with shouts Of exhultR'
ton at having effected, as they hoped,
their work OF ruin. The frank exposure
OF all nv financial affairs, did no good.
The disclosure Of the sacred confidence
oil the dead only gave them fresh oppor-
tunity for cavil and falsi6cation. The
testimony Of my step.father and sister,
US you here so well know
them to be, was denounced as unworthy
OF belief. These enemies were determin-
ed on having their victim, but conscious
Of nv entire innocence OF this cruel and
wicked charge, and confident that He
who linoweth all things, will, In his own
good time, make that innocence mnilested
10 all. Ihave stood unmoved amid this
tempest storm OF villifCation and In US.
tice' willing to bide my time for the. COM
plete yindication know Is so certain to
come. Let me read now from tho Chica-
20 Intsroeean OF Sept 28th, 1872, the fol-
lowing extract from the speech I deliver.
ed here the previous day. 1t was made,
you will remember, In reply to the charge
that was one Of the twelve apostles who
sold out 10 the Credit Mobilier at SEQ, 600
apiece, who had been bribed by gifts OF
stock on which enormous dividends had
been paid, and for which certain legisla-
tIon has been enacted. Never having in
my life dollar OF stock Of my kind that
did not pay Tor, claim the right TO
purchase stock In the Credit Mobilier, II
there is one, nor do l know Of any law
prohibiting. Do need TO add that Meth
or Oakes Ames nor any other person ever
gave, or offered to give, me one share, or
twenty shares, or two hundred shares in
the Credit Mobilier or any other railroad
stock, and that unfortunately l have never
seen, or received the value Of one iarth-
N l..