The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-14

still suffer, in all parties and in all States Walk
ing into the hall of the convention at Chicago, a
prominent political manager said MIR. Coliax
can never be nominated" The reply was ''We
will not leave this hall until the ticket is
Grant and Colfax." And so it proved. The
people of Indiana Will remember the
enthusiasm with which the nominations
were received. The hero of Appomattox was
fresh from his great victories over armed rebel
lion, and the country was weary of the turmoil
incident to the administration of Andrew John
son. Mr.. Colfax wore proudly the laurels he had
honestly earned in long and distinguished serv
ice in the popular house of Congress- and in an
unusually brilliant administration of the speak
ership during those troublous times, the most
notable speakership in history since the days Of
Henry Clay. When the campaign opened he
threw himself into the active work of the canvass
with the enthusiasm born of the warmest zeal
for and devotion to the principles. and purposes,
and responsibilities of the Republican party.
His tour of Indiana was flaming triumph.
He traversed the State from one end to the
other. People who scarcely knew him person
ally, though long distinguished in the States
history, focked to see and hear him in multi
tudes that had never before been seen in a po-
litical contest. His reception and speech in the
city of indianapolis remains a memory to ali
who saw and participated in it. He
spoke in the old wigwam Tennessee
street, which was so crowded at early hour that
Dir. ColfaX himself could gain no access what
ever except through window, and borne aloft
over the heads of the people That was day
rptu al pn and
understood that euloges of jefferson Davs's
treason were not heard in the halls of congress,
nor was General Grant trampled upon by the
heels of men fresh from fields of blood. The
result of that campaign was the election
of Grant and Colfax over Seymour and Blair by
a vote of pa to so. the States of Mississippi,
Texas and Virginia not voting On the 4th of
March. 1869, Mr. Colfax entered upon the duties
of the vice presidency. He had madeup his mind
to be simply the Vice-president not to obtrude
either his advice or his recommendations upon
the President, hoping thus to avoid any danger of
q possible conflict with the President, or to be
charged with desire Of trying to
advance himself in any degree toward
the succession. He adhered scrupulously to
this resolution and growing out of it came one
of the severest blows to his heart-the severance
of the personal relations between himself and
Hon. John D. Defrees. who had been for years
his warmest adherent and counselor, and who
was his manager and representive at the Chicago
convention. Mr.. Defrees was supplanted as
Public Printer by the election of A N. Clapp.
of the Buffalo Express, and Mr.. Defrees thought
that had Mr.. Colfax interposed his influence
that humiliation would have been spared him.
Without going into any details over this painful
episode in his life, it is enough to say
that the mists finally cleared away;
and with maniness creditable to Mr. Defrees,
when he learned to estimate rightly Mr.. Colfaxs
altitude and opinions he made advances for
turn to the old footing of confidential friendship
which was afterward maintained until the death
of Mr. Defrees. Mr. Colfax pursued the even
tenor of his way in the honorable but subordi-
nate position to which he had been assigned When
the period for the nomination of new ticket ar
rived, the denomination of President Grant was,
of course, conceded; but Mr. Cofax
cluded that he would not stand for
a second term and so announced Under these
circumstances other asprants came into the
field, the principal being Hon. Henry
Wilson, the distinguished senator from Massa-
chusetts. AS the day of the convention drew near.
the demand for, the ''od ticket" seemed to be
so great that Mr.. Colfax reluctantly allowed the
use of his name. But Mr.. Wilson's strength
had developed too far. and the ticket was
Grant and Wilson Into the campaign of
1872 Mr. Colfax entered with undated fervor,
and contributed all in his power to the triumph
ant success which crowned that remarkable cam
foil he Cradit rnvn
tigation. and the concerted attack upon certain
Republicans, Mr.. Colfax seeming to receive the
hottest and heaviest fire in that frenzied fusi-
lade of malice. At this distance it is
easy to see what gross injustice was done
to regulations, and what aspersions were
cast upon honorable characters 1t is beyond
doubt that Mr.. Colfax made the mistake
of answering by pieeemeal the daily changing
attacks of his enemies. Had he waited until
the lease" was all in, and then made his defense
! and explanation, we do not doubt he would have
escaped much of the bitterness that came to
him during that protracted trial But through
the storm that burst upon his devoted head ne
held, as with hooks of steel, the answering
friendship and confidence of those who best
knew him. and who were certain of the rectitude
of his conduct When it was all over, and
he was to retire from the Office he
had so worthily and modestly filled, HIS
old friends and constituents arranged for him a
welcome home that in warmth and earncstness
has never been exceeded in this country. The
scenes of that day ever remained in Mr.. Colfax's
memory cordial for all the wrongs he had
suffered. Between Chicago and South Bend
the train passed through what seemed
almost a continuous forest of the people
of northern Indiana, among whom the
ex- Vice president had lived, who had
known him from his early manhood and who
were ready to stake their all upon his integrity.
At LaPorte there was tremendous demonstra-
ton, only to be outdone by the greeting at home.
Never to be forgotten was the occasion when he
he rrhi lie of