The Portland daily press., 1885-01-24
Schuyler Colfax.
As he IL Remembered by a Member or the
Thiriy-fOurth Congress.
(Hon. j. j. Perry.)

(Hon. j. j. Perry.)
Mr.. Colfax's first entry into public life was
his election to the Thirty-fourth Congress.
1t was here that the writer Of this article
tirst became acquainted with him, which &C
quaintance resulted In a warm personal
friendship that lasted through life. Prior to
his election to Congress he had been pub
Usher and editor Of the South Bend Register,
leading paper in his State, and had also
been a member of the Indiana Constitution
al Conventions and delegate to the Wing
National Conventions of 1s4s and 1852.
When ne entered the House 10 December,
1855 he was comparatively young man, be-
ing only 80 years of age. He was of medi-
um stature, with head in which the intel
lecIu usl development largely predomlnated,
an eye beaming with mental force, and
face radiant with smiles-an expressive In
dicator of the kind heart within.
No man ever became acquainted with Mr..
Colfax without being at once put at ease in
his presence. His gentlemanly bearing,
winning manners, pleasing address and bril-
liant conversation very naturally at once
made him troops of personal friends. Mr..
Colfax was new member, with no practi-
cal experience to aid him. Yet his keen eye
and active intellect very soon advanced him
beyond many of his colleagues in compre-
hending the situation" and mastering the
difficulties which lay In the way of the
friends of freedom at the commencement of
that memorable Congress. There was then
no Republican party. 1t existed only In
embryo. The repeal of the Missouri COM
promise in the previous Congress had sent to
the House majority Of what was then
known as "Anti-Nebraska" members, but ik
was made up of Northern and Southern
''Know-Nothings," old-line Wings, WiImot
ProViso Democrats, old "Liberty party" men,
and few Independents" that could not be
classed with any political organization. To
unite a sufficient number of these professed
Anti-Nebraska men to elect speaker vas
the great problem. No one dared to call q
caucus to nominate. Every man voted as
he chose, and the result was scattering fire
all along the line for two or three weeks At
the end of three weeks it was found that
Gen. N. p. Banks of Massachusetts, had
received larger support than any other
member; and an Informal meeting for gener-
| al consultation was called.
The question of making a nomination for
| speaker was the great issue before the meet.
| ing. The debate took a wide range, and ap-
pearances indicated majority against it.
| Near the conclusion of the discussion a
young man arose to speak for the first time.
1t was Schuyler Colfax. All eyes turned 10
/ see what the Indiana "boy'' would say. He
| commenced, evidently laboring under great
| embarrassment, but as he proceeded he
threw off his diffidence, his eyes flashed fire,
| his voice rang out in rounded tones, ho
seemed to lose himself in his subject, and in
| ten minutes speech of fervid, impassioned
| eloquence in favor of a nomination he "car-
| Tied the house," and Banks was nominated.
| This action led to his subsequent election az
| Speaker of the House. That speech was the
| first stepping-stone to a brilliant Congres-
sional career in the life of Schuyler Colfax.
With heart as kind and tender as a wo-
man's Mr.. Colfax was, whenever occasion
| required it, as bold as a lion. We well re-
member when upon one occasion that prince
of fire eaters, Lawrence M. Keitt of South
Carolina, made savage attack upon Mr..
| Colfax. upon some of his anti-slavery utter
| ances, the latter in a bold defiant speech
| hurled back the insult and fairly "turned
the tables" upon his waspish antagonist, to
the great amusement of the House. Keith
clustered around and threatened a chal-
lenge, but his own Slate colleagues laughed
him out of it by declaring che only got wh q
he deserved
AS parliamentariaD and presiding officer
Mr.. Colfax had few equals. II is true that
| as Speaker of the House he had not the Inn
perious dash of Henry Clay or James G.
Blaine; yet he more than made it up by hia
| great familiarity with the rules, his keen,
fad ~
impartial rulings.
This brings fresh to mind "scene" In the
House at the second session of the Thirty
fourth Congress, when in 'committee Of tho
vhole"-with one of the best presiding Off
GERS in the body in the Chair-the House be-
came perfect bedlam Of confusion; mo.
tions and points of order were piled noun
tain high upon each other; the chairman
| got confused, and by his rulings made con-
fusion worse confounded, aud calling Mr..
COlfax to the chair left in disgust. Colfax.
| in his own inimitable, authoritative man.
ner, Immediately brought the committee TO .
dead halt, aud then, by a skillful application
| of the rules TO the pending motions, in
| very few moments had the complicated ma
chinery of the House in good running order.
From the time Mr.. Colfax first entered the
| House to his election as Vice President, un-
| der the first administration of Gen. Grant
| he steadily advanced to the front in states
manship and popularity with the people;
and at one period in his history it seemed
almost certain that the partially of bis coun-
trymen would elevate him to the PIeslden-
| tial chair.
The dark cloud which at last overshad-
owed the political pathway of Mr.. Colfax
and drove him into the retirement of private
| life, is painful subject for contemplation.
| The pure, honest and upright life OF Mr..
Colfax-cor ceded to him by all, even his
| political enemes-up to the time Of his al
legged connection with the "Credit Mobilier,"
think should go very far in disproving any
| charge of dishonesty made against him 10
| connection with that matter.
An examination of the evidence produced
in the congressional investigation upon that
matter will, think. satisfy any unpreju-
diced mind that Mr.. Colfax was no mere
guilty of anything fraudulent or dishonest
than Mr.. Garfield and several others whose
sins in this regard have long since been con-
| doned by the American people. In fact It
IS very serious question whether Mr.. Col
fax was connected with the Credit Mobilier
at all, and whether Mr.. Ames was not en-
tirely mistaken in charging the sale of any
| of said stock to him.
| But with one old friend life's fitfui scenes
| are o'er. He was saved from a lingering
sickness or painful death. In moment
| he was not-for God had taken hiIn.
/ ReQuieScdt in pace!