The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-01-17
SCHUYLER COLFAX DEAD,
he EXPIRES SUDDENLY OF HEART DISEASE
INA RAILWAY DEPOT.
His Approaching End ForeshadOwed in a
Recent Leeture-From a Dry Goods
Counte r to the Vice residency.

his Approaching Enu fofesnAuo"ou Ill
Recent Leeture-From IA Dry Goods
Counter to the Vice-Presidency.
Ev-Vice- President Schuyler Colfax
dropped dead at the Omaha depot in
Mankato, Mimi, at 10. 30 o'clock onlast
Tuesday morning the 18th inst. He ar
rived on the Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul railroad and walked over to the
Omaha depot. He took off his coat and
sat down, and expired in a few minutes.
The doctors say that he died from heart
disease.
Schuyler Colfax was born in New York
city on. March %, 1923. his father having
died in early manhood, short time be-
fore his birth. When he was 10 years
old his mother married again, becoming
Mrs. Matthews. With this event the
boys school life closed, but tho scanty
term seems to have been we'll improved,
for one of his early schoolmates tells us
Schuyler always stood at the head of
his class The next three years were
spent in his stepfathers store. In 1886,
his father having decided to cmgrate to
the West, Schuyler accompanied his
parents to the valley of the St. Joseph
river, and they settled in New Carlisle,
st. Joseph county, Indiana. Tie region
was then a wilderness, but it is now the
garden of the state. The five years which
followed were spent as clerk in a country
store. His disposition TO study was in
bred, and every leisure moment was i'm
proved.
In 1871 his steplathsr, Mr.. Matthews,
was elected county auditor, and removed
to South Bend. Schuyler became his
deputy, and was also very busily engaged
ir the study of law at this time. In 1874
being then q years of age, lie began the
publication of the South Bend Register.
Western weekly. which he edited with
an ability which made him distinguished
in the West. The Register acquired
very large circulation, and was devoted
to the interests of the old Wing party
Advancing in popularity with his adj
vance in years, in SIS he was selected as
tS'CS6bC w Vic W hIe 4Ndlloudl tOHNtIi-
ton, filling the office of secretary during
It's session. C5iifax was now % wears OF
age.
Ia 1850, he became member Of the
Indiana Constitutional Convention, and
again in 1852 reappeared in national pol
tiles as a delegate to the Wing National
Convention for that year. OF this body,
as Of it's predecessor, Colifax was elected
.ltic in tho
ton Of General Scott. This nomination
having eventuated in the disastrous de-
feat Of his party and its subsequent dis
solution, he followed the motion Of the
political current Of the times, and finally
became identified with the Republican
party, in the incipiency of which, in
1854, he was elected to fill the seat of
Representative i'll Congress for the Ninth
district of Indiana, and at the aye Of 81,
therefore, he made his appearance il
public life at Washington.
Mr.. ColfaX soon rose to tho rank o;
one of the acknowledged leaders Of the
party, and, making every use OF his in
tiuence, probably did more to advance
the cause of Repu blicaniSm in the State
OF Indiana than any other single man in
the West. In tina Fremont campaign in
1S36 he was ardent and indefatiga bic,
stumped his own state with remarkable
thoroughness for the Republican nomi-
nee, aud found time as we'll to be present
al numerous gatherings in other parts o:
the country.
Retaining lis seat in the House by
successive re- elections, ia tho fall OF 1863
he was elected Speaker Of TIL. 3Sth Con
gress, and Notwithstanding the turbu-
lence OF the pcried, presided with grace
and dignity, ard aimed the Speaker
ship until he vacated it in March, 1869,
to assume the duties of the Nice-Presi-
deucy.
AT the Republican National Conven-
ton held i'll Chicago in May, 1868, he
was nominated for Vice President on the
fifth and last ballot Before the result
was announced he had 224 votes, BDnja-
min F. Wade had 1893, Reuben f Fenton.
1877; Henry Wilson. 81, and Hannibal
Hamiin, 10. Thereupon all the states,
except New York and Ohio, changed
their votes to him, and he was finally
nominated by 541 of the $50 votes Of the
contention. He was a candidate FOR re-
nomination in 1872, but was defeated by
Henry Wilson, who received 364t votes
on the first and only ballot. to 391 for
Mr.. Colifax and sc scattering.
After his retirement from public life
Mr., Colfa1 found congenial and profta
ble occupation in lecturin.. His annual
tours were extended and successful; in
fact, he repeatedly stated that under no
circumstances would he abandon this
field to re- enter the political arena. His
favorite lecture was personal Recollec-
lions Of Abraham Lincoln