Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-04-04
MIR. COlrax and His NeIghpOrs.


THE reception of Mr.. Colfax by his old
friends, neighbors and political support
ers shows the advantage Of an honorable
reputation. For twenty years he has
stood before his countrymen with an un-
blemished fame as o citizen, q politician,
parent, relative and friend. His regu-
lar and unspotted life, his temperance
and moderation, his freedom from all
those errors that so often taint the poll
tician's career, his labors In the cause or
virtue and good morals, will now be re-
membered and become the more oonspic'
uous in the midst Of the abuse of the en-
vious and the clamorous virulence of the
corrupt. Nothing, indeed, so excites the
envy OF the vicious 40 the possession OF
an unblemished fame; and the rash haste
with which several of the opposition
journals have ventured to impute TO Mr..
Oolfax their own chief failings, will serve
only to expose them more plainly to the
people. Falsehood, avarice, indifference
to moral laws, he has never exhibited
His whole political course has been
marked by truthfulness and consistency,
by singular moderation in his conduct
toward his opponents, by firm adherence
| to Republican principles; and as he
labored for the preservation of his coun-
try in those sad hours when they who
now assail him were plotting its destruc-
ton, so he has shared in all the triumplfs
of freedom, and has been one of those
whom his countrymen delight to honor.
1t was charged against Alexander
Hamilton that he had created the national
debt that he and his friends might grow
rich from the plunder of the public. He
replied by exposing his own poverty. The
charge against Mr.. Colfax is that he ac-
cepted shares in q fraudulent company,
received considerable dividends, and de-
MED that he ever accepted them. The
charge of having purchased some Of the
stock at the solicitation of Ames, who
was then believed to be man of integrity
as well as wealth, Mr.. Colfax admits, bat
states that he soon returned it, having
discovered the character of the company,
with the loss of what he had already paid.
Since that time he has never owned any
of the stock, nor received anything from
1t. But Ames, who at first stated that
Mr.. Colfax had never received dividend,
and confirmed his statement, now at
second examination charged him with
gross deception, and alleged that he paid
him check for 81 200 in 1868. He pro-
duced check drawn to the order of S. @.
for that amount, and, we believe, amemo-
randum from his notebook. Mr.. Colfax
denied at once that he had ever seen the
check before. His opponents examined
his bank account, and finding there
deposit of 81 200 in June, 1858, brought
the fact forward as proof of his having
received and made use of the 81 200
check. And Mr.. ColfaX then proves by
credible witnesses that he had received
about that time $1,000 from different
sources, which he had deposited and
used. The cashier upon whom Ames's
check was drawn adds an impression that
Ames drew the money for it himself.
Thus the accusation against Mr.. Col
faX's integrity and truthfulness rests
solely upon the testimony of Ames, who
has made two different statements about
the transaction directly opposed to each
other, and who could be accepted as a
trustworthy witness neither in the iudg-
ment Of history nor of law. No one
would trust the memory or the fidelity of
man who upon oath gives two versions
of the same occurrence directly at vari-
ance. No reliance, therefore, can be
placed upon the account of Ames, and,
except his own testimony, there is not a
trace of evidence to confirm his story
no receipt, no certificate, no indorse-
ment, "The testimony against a public
Official" said Jefferson, "should be affirm
ative"; but neither affirmative nor mega
tive proof exists against Mr.. Colfax. His
only opposing witness contradicts him
self, and proves his own falseness.
Whether person in office is permitted
to buy or even hold stock in which the
Government may be interested Is ques-
ton easily answered No official should
make any use of the opportunities Of
his position at the expense of the public.
Hamilton, in the case we have noticed,
would not allow any of his relatives, or
hT frtn 20 hrrrv avaf
stock. He held $500 worth. which he had
long owned, unsold until he left office.
The stock which Mr.. Colfax had bought
he at once abandoned when he found that
it might expose him to dishonorable in
| t1uences or bring him into conflict with
the Government. He saw he had been
led into error, and at once gave up the
stock, at a considerable loss to himself.
His fault was venial; he strove at once to
repair it. To the charge of having
made money at the public loss he replies
by exhibiting, like Hamilton, the modera-
ton of his own fortune, and the honora-
BILE sources from whence 1t came.
1t is not unreasonable, therefore, that
the people of Indiana should welcome
their eminent statesman with new zeal
while his enemies strive to cover his fame
with calumny, and destroy the well, earned
reputation of laborious life. Nothing
would crafty his assailants more than to
reduce Mr. Colfax to a level with them
selves. Had he betrayed the principles
of freedom, entered into reasonable COM
binations, striven to undo the honorable
progress of the past, and throw the ma
tion back into anarchy and despair, no
whisper of disapprobation would have
escaped from the men who now assail
him; he might have been their favorite
leader His chief crime is that he was
true to the interests of freedom in the re-
cent campaign. The highest proof of his
rectitude and honesty for posterity will
probably be the characters of his
chief assailants; from his more honorable
opponents he is receiving thorough vim
dication. And it is certain that no repu-
tation will pass to future years more spot
less or enviable than than that of Schuy-
Ter Colfax.- Harper's Weekly.