The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-14
SCHUYLER COLFAX.
Hon. Schuyler Coifax, ex-Vice-president of the
United States, died yesterday, at Mankato, MINI.


United States, died yesterday, at Mankato, MINI.
SCHUYLER CoLFAx was born in the city of
New York, March %, 1923 He was, therefore,
at the time of his death nearly sixty two years
of age. The death of his father, and also of his
| sister, preceded his birth He thus became the
only child of his widowed mother. His grand
father was Gen. William Colfax, who was born
in Connecticut in 1760. William Colfax was com
missioned lieutenant in the Continental army at
seventeen, and was soon after selected by Gener-
al Washington as captain commandant of the
commander-in chiefs guards, a position
held by Captain Colfax till the dis
banding of the army of the Revolution in 1883.
At the close of the war Captain Colfax married
Hester Schuyler, a cousin of General Philip
Schuyler. Gen. Washington stood godfather
of their first child, holding him at the baptismal
font and comforting on him his own name. The
third son Of this marriage bore the honored name
of Schuyler. He grew up to be quiet business
man, and became teller in the Mechanics Bank
of New York City. He died in early manhood,
transmitting his name as his sole legacy to his
unborn son, the subject of this sketch.
The early years of the life of Schuyler Colfax
were passed amid the stir and din of the city of
New York. His school days, which were in the
public schools of the city, were not numerous,
and ended with his tenth year. In his eleventh
year he was employed as clerk in store, and
at this time his mother, who had been widow
nearly twelve years. was again married to Mr..
George w. Matthews. Two years later, at the
age of thirteen, he was on the tide of emigration
that was flowing to the great West. st.
-,
objective point to which Mr.. Matthews was tax
ing his family. and finally located at an embryo
village called New Carlisle, whore young Colfax
again became a clerk in store, though, as may
be imagined, under vastly different surround
| ings, northern Indiana at that day being but
| sparsely settled. Much of the wild prairie had
never been touched. Deer and bear were still
/ plentiful and Indians were still present in num-
bers
At the age of eighteen Schuyler was taken to
South Bend his step father, Mr.. Matthews, hav
ing been elected county auditor, and he natur-
ally appointed young Cofax his deputy South
Bend has since been the home of Mr.. Colfax,
and he it develop from q village to the
thrifty manufacturing center it is to-day.
An anecdote is told of Mr.. Colfax at this period
of his life Before he was twenty one he had
acted, in attendance at Indianapolis upon the
Legislature, as Senate reporter for the Indian
apols Journal. One of Mr.. Colfax's biogra-
piers says:
This was not very lucrative position as it
yielded but So day. 1t had however, other ad-
vantages highly esteemed by the proprietor of
the Journal. though not so highly priced by the
reporter; for, seeking an increase of his per
diem the proprietor demurred He thought that
the acquaintanceship which the reporters erth
gave with public men, and the prospects it
afforded of becoming ultimately sue
.cessful candidate for Congress, made it a good
thing. The young reporter humorousy offered
to sell out all his chances for Congress for an
additional dollar to the per diem, but tho pro-.
prietor of the journal was immovable."
In 1915 Mr. Colfax became editor and propre-
of the St. Joseph Valley Register, a paper
which he founded. 1t soon took foremost rank
among the papers of the State, and was widely
quoted, welding acknowledged influence in the
politics of the State. In politics, it was first
Wing and then Republican Young in years,
but ardent in disposition, and thoroughly imbued
with the spirit of justice and liberty, he wrote
vigorously and with effect In 1S45, at the age
of twenty-five, he wrote of the defeat of the
Wing party:
''Reverses may and will dampen the ardor and
zeal of any party but the true man speedily re-
covers from such notifications, and labors on
! steadfastly and earnestly, knowing that the
gloom OF the present will be superseded by the
ultimate triumph of his principles and his cause
| What, though one may not be able to win sue
cess next year, or the next, or the next2 Even
though we could scan no ray of hope in the po-
litical horizon, should we then despair or yieldl
! Far from it. Such thoughts are the counsel of
| treason, the promptings of Incidence. Expedien-
cy, as well as honor and right forbid that we
should listen to them. The page of, history is
full of records of victory won by untiring per-
servance after frequent defeats. It tells of
none gained by apathy or despair. The patriots
| OF the Revolution were themselves driven almost
to the grave during their unyielding resistance
to the armies of the British despot. A
| Yorktown came at last and their trials and de-
| votions were repaid by victory decisive and
complete. Perseverance is indeed glorious
| word. 1t has been a talisman to the oppressed
It has given fortune and homes to the poor and
| lowly. 1t will yet give success to the beaten,
but not conquered Wing party"
Mr.. Colfax was very ardent admirer OF
Henry Clay. He felt that the country was dis
honored when, in 1874, Mr.. Clay was defeated
in the contest for the presidency. The October
and November elections of 1916 gave hope to the
| Wing party that in the next presidential contest
they would be victorious. Mr.. Colfax, in the
| ardor of his love for the imam that would
rather be right than President" would gladly
have given his influence for Henry Clay, out,
with the keenness of perception for which he
was ever distinguished in reading the political
signs of the times, he saw in General Zachary
| Taylor the available candidate and the coming
man, and more than year before the nomina-
ton of General Taylor, and upon the ground
that we are to seek the advancement and tri
umph of principles, not of men, he became the
| earnest advocate of General Taylor for the pres
idency. Mr.. Colfax was member and one of the
secretaries of the national convention that nomi
mated General Taylor for the presidency. The
sanguine hopes however, that were founded
upon his election were doomed to disappointment
in the death of Taylor and the succession of
| Fillmore