Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-03-19
THE LATE vICE-PREsIDENT.

The whole country has been panied at
the attempt which once seemed successful
to implicate Hon. Schuyler ColfaX with
the Credit Mobilier scandal. Even the
more respectable portion of his political
adversaries have manifested a desire to see
him acquitted. His friends, those who
have known and honored him, and
who have admired his high-toned
moral character have never be-
lieved him guilty of what he has been
charged. Last Saturday Mr.. ColfaX ar
rived at his home in South Bend, Indiana,
and was followed to the court house by an
escort of fifteen hundred of his old neigh
bors and friends who have known him all
his life. The Mayor of the city delivered
an address of welcome, to which Mr.. Col
fax responded i n a speech of considerable
length. He referred to the malignity with
which he had been pursued by portion of
the American press, and especially Wash
ington correspondents. He referred to the
Credit Mobilier charges and defended him.
self against them to the entire satisfaction
of those who heard him. He read let
ter from Mr.. Dillon, cashier of the Ser
geant-at-Arms of the House of Representa-
tives. in which he stated that he was con-
fident that the checks to initials or bearer
were all paid to Ames himself, especially
the one for 81 200, marked to rs. c. or
bearer"
At the conclusion of the remarks of Mr..
Colfax Col. Humphries presented him let
ter signed with 800 signatures of fellow
citizens attached, expressing the confidence
of the signers in him; after which the fol-
lowing resolution was offered and unani-
mously adopted:
Resolued, That in welcoming S. Colfax
home to-day after his twenty years or ar
duous public service, in which he has been
eXcelled by none as model statesman,
temperate and faithful to principles, we do
so with unlimited confidence in his honor
and integrity both as a public man. and
private citizen.
The Louisville Cotrier-JOurndL, the
leading Democratic paper in the South, in
a double-leaded editorial after reading Col
fax's speech, says:
1--WE have taken the trouble to review
carefully the case of Mr.. Colfax as record
ed in the congressional investigation, aud
compare it with the elaborate defense de-
livered by the late vice-president at South
Bend last Saturday. The result of our
researches is that he has given successful
and satisfactory explanation of the entire
matter. 1t will require closer analysis
than that which we have made or are
capable of making, to alter our opinion
that in this business Mr., ColfaX has been
very much abused and wronged, and we
are the reader to allow this since we have
never been tempted and could not be in
! duced to sacrifice the private character OF
any man to partisan interest or prejudice
! in doing what we believe to be an act OF
| personal Justice. We desire to be fully
| explicit and ungrudging, and therefore we
shall not shadow the congratulations
which we have to offer to a conspicuous
political adversary by any of those minor
arrangements which might be sanction
Ell by less generous criticism"
Thus one of the ablest of his political
adversaries admits his innocence, and says
that he has given successful and salts
factory explanation of the entire matter
On the 4th of March, President Gran
wrote Mr.. Colfax as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, I
WASHINGTON, March 4, 1873.
Ny Dear Mr.. Collar:
Allow me to say that / sympathiZe will
you in the recent Congressional investiga
tons; that / have watched them closely
and am as well satisfied now as / hav
ever been of your integrity, patriotism ant
freedom from the charges imputed, as if
knew of my own knowledge of your in
nOcence. Our official relations have beel
so pleasant that / would like to keep "
the personal relations through life. Aztec
tionately yours,
| LSigned.l L. S. GRANT.
1t is a melancholy fact, but new
ertheless true, that a great many cor
respondents of leading newspapers, witt
headquarters at the National capital, max
it point to bedaub the character of ever
pu bile man who does not court their favor
Their criticisms are too often made with
out reason, and with no sort of respect 70
justice. We trust and believe that tim
will show Mr.. ColfaX the same honorable
heightened, Christian gentleman that Ii
has always been regarded.