The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-25


AN EX.vICE PRESIDENT DEAD.
THE LATE SCHUYLER CoLFAx, VICE PREsr DENT
DURING PRESIDENT GRANTS FIRST TERM.
Schuyler Colfax died suddenly Janasry
Is, at Manksto, MINI.
He was born in New York City, March %.
1928 and attended the common schools Of
that city until he was ten years old. He be.
gan work at this tender age as clerk in q
store, in which he continued three years,
He then removed to st. Joseph County, In.
diana, with his mother and stepfsther, and
soon found employment as clerk at New
Carlisle. After being about four years in
this position. he was appointed Deputy
South Bend. He then began q course of
study, read law and wrote for the news
papers.
When twenty-five years of age he became
the proprietor and editor of the st. Joseph
Valley Register, published at South Bend,
which he made an influential newspaper.
His political preferences at the time were
Wing, and in 1s4S he was delegate and Sec
rotary to the convention which nominated
General Taylor. A year after he was elected
q member of the convention to revise the
Constitution of Indian. Mr.. Colfax was
nominated Cor Congress ia 1851, but defeated.
He was q second time delegate to National
Convention in 1862. but refused to be a
candidate for Congress in the election of
that year. Two years afterward. how
ever. he was elected to the House of
Representatives. against q candidate for re-
election who had voted for the Nebraska
bill. The young statesman soon made his
influence felt in Washington. He detected
and defeated two attempts to put Demo-
cratic Speaker in the chair, and during the
debates on the Kansas Nebraska bill deliv-
cred two strong speeches in behalf Of the
free settlers. One of these addresses was
published as campaign document by the
Republican party in 1856. While in
Washington he was nominated for re-
election and carried his district al
though the national election went against
his party. He was reelected to each succeed
ing Congress until he was chosen for higher
honore. In the Thirty-ffth Congress be was
member of the Committee on Indian At
fairs. and in the Thirty-sixth he was Chair
man OF the Committee on Posoffices aud
Poetroads. He was active in extending the
mail facilities of the West and reforming pos-
tai laws. The nomination Of M. Lincoln was
he worked hard for his election. At
the opening of the Thirty-eiehth
Congress, in Decemcer, 1863. Mr..
Colfax was elected az Speaker of
the House of Representatives. He was
tmCe Ie-eiecleu W tue once, on each occa-
sion by larger majority than before. In
April. 1865, he went with q party of friends
on journey to San Francisco. He called
to take leave of President Lincoln, with
whom his relations had been very intimate.
In an hour afterward he was astounded by
the intelligence that the President had been
asssssinated Before starting for Cslifornis
Mr.. Colfax de livered q eulogy on the Preei-
dent in Chicago, and repeated ii in
Colorado, Utah and California. He
was well received throughout the West,
and on his return delivered lecture
entitled Across the Continent" After the
nomination of General Grant, in May, 1868,
Mr.. Colfax was nominated for the Vice
Presidency on the first ballot. When GEN.
eral Grant was renominated Mr.. Collar was
beaten by Henry Wilson in the contest for
the second place on the ticket. Charges
ton with the Credit Mobilier matter, and
this resulted in bis retirement from public
life. He steadily denied the truth of
the accusations made against him, and q
host of friends believed him to have been
the victim of Misrepresentation.
Mr.. Colfax was first married, at the age Of
tvepty.one, to playmate of his childhood.
She had two children, both OF whom are
dead. a fortnight after his election to the
Vice Presidency, he married again. A son
by the present Mrs. Colfax survives, and 10
now fourteen years Of ago. Since his retire
Iucut llOm pubic llle MI. OOlI6x mas nVeQ
quietly, occasionally appearing as Q lecturer.
He was exceedingly popular as such, and has
been heard in nearly all the great cities of
the United States. at his home in Indiana
he retained the friendship of his early asso-
ciates, and was prominent church member
and abstainer from intoxicating liquors. In
stances of his great generosity are numer-
ously quoted. He frequently gave the whole
proceeds Of lecture to q deserving and
needy institution. After long life OF in
cessant activity, he died worth only about
$4,000 His residence was at South Bend,
Ind.
In person Mr.. Colfax was under the med
ium height. His hair was of dark glossy
brown before age sprinkled it with gray; his
eyes were blue. Exceedingly pleasant and
afable in private life, his public gifts were
likewise extraordinary. He wrote win sipgu-
lar force and accuracy. and greatly exceiled
as public speaker. His sudden removal Is
regretted as widely se he was known, and the
action of the House of Representatives in
adjoining out OF respect to his memory,
when his death was announced. is significant
OF the universal esteem in which he was
held on account of bis distinguished merit
as q citizen and statesman.