New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-08

party and winning the doubtful. he had the great
art of clear and impressive statement lie seized
the telling things in the situation by instinct, and
no one could present them more clearly or moro of
them in the Same time Intensely ardent in his
cause. he preached IL with the conviction and
enthusiasm of a religious apostle 1t sounds like
mere commonplace to say that he carried the
people away" but no other expression so we'll
describes the result Of his spcaking In a joint
canvass with Judge Stuart, the latter gentleman
opening the discussion at Logansport. his own
home. spoke for an hour and quarter and was
heard in dead silence until he attacked Colfax's
votes in Congress. when the crowd cried, That
was right Mr. COlfax followed i'll a beech Of an
hour and a half. "rhc applause was a steady
roar WOTen and many men wcpt. John ID.
Defrces said he couln't keep his eyes dry"
stuart. having fifteen minutes to close. again re-
frrrcd to his advcrsary's course in Congress, and
ask l.: HWill you vote for man who thus speaks
an 'otes'" "Yes" roarcd the crowd which
disconnected stuart that he abruptly lett the stand
and walked away almost alone. Mr. Colfax wrote
to his wife during this campaign: never knew
what friendship was before; it gushes and over
flows npon me from every side. Old men shake
hands and shed tears the ladies insist on shaking
hands all round and our young voters are full OF
the most earnest enthusiasm. | cannot describe TO
You what overw hclming tokens of the confidence
and approval of my constituents have been
showercd upon me the past two or three days III
has been almost impossible for me to get about the
streets"
His natural bophoa,;e. frank chcerfuln~ss, uncon-
queIablc good nature. and sympathetic tempera-
mcnt accounted for much OF his success ae popular
speaker as well rs for the general esteem III when
he was held at home and at Washington. Political
opponents sometimes ri iculed his genial manner,
but in truth il was the sincere expression OF n
sunny dispositions lie had great talent for
friendship. His attachments were strong and
lasting and lie probably had fewer enemies than
any other man who has flied such prominent
position IN our public life member of the House
of Representatives. from the crisis of slavery az
erosion i'm Kansas to the close of the Rebellion lhe
was an actor in some of the most dramatic scenes
of nr political history He made some memorable
speeches which had an enormous circulation.
Once in the course of the Kansas debates, as he
cited tho bogus laws" of the Border Rufan
legislature imposing Imprisonment at nara LABOR
with ball and chain upon any one who should say
that persons have not the right TO hold slaves in
this Territory" he exhibited an iron ball of the
statutory weight, thirty pounds. Alexander II.
stephens asked 10 be allowed to lit II. and wonld
then have returned il; but Mr.. ColiaN adroitly
left it in the hands Of the Southern statesman
ton, Jefferson, Webster and Clay. if alive and in
Kansas, would now be serving in the chain gang.
OF this speech more than a million copies were
distributed by Republican committees and other
agencies ave have printed your speech i'll
pamphlet" Mr. Greeley writes him. as Won doubt
less know and an earnest friend says he considers
little best electioneerIug document we ever had.
Other addresses might he cited, which proved OF
great use to his party while they vastly increased
his reputation i'll the country at large Bnt lie was
not often a leader in great constitute onal discus
sions. He was a model business member.
valuable in debate and nnrivallel in the art of
getting what he wanted. Truthful. self-possessed.
clear-hcaded alert courteous patient, always we'll
Informed and not too fond of talking he certainly
exercised IN the best part of his career
practical influence than any other man IN the
House His election to the Speakershlp OF the
XXXVIIIth Congress by the unanimous vote OF hi"
party. was heartily approved 10y the people. and
the two re-elections by which he was retained i'll
that position until his promotion to the Vice.
Presidency were almost forcgone conclusions
Every body trusted him.
He was in frequent correspondent 90 with Horace
Greeley. who had a high regard for him, and during
Mr.. Lincons Presidency he was often the medium
OF confidential communications between the Admin
istration and the Editor of THE TEIBCNf. some
interesting fragments of Mr. Grcclcy's letters,
printed by the biographcr, arouse regret that the
whole correspondence has not been preserved.
Mr. Colfax's relations with President Lincoln were
always close and cordial. In 1867 the speaker
undoubtedly hoped. and perhaps expected. TO
become Andrew Johusons successor; but he soon
saw how strongly the tide was setting toward
Grant and he made effort TO stem IT, IN the
Nce-Prcsidoncy his intercourse with Grant was
exceedingly intimate; in this case the GOODNESS
which usually prevails between the President an
the heir apparent avoided, at least until near
the close of Grants first term. In 1s7l General
Grant asked flax TO resign The ' ce-prcsdency
in order to accept the Secretaryship of state from
which Mr. Fish was anxious to retire. When the
Liberal Republican revolt impending, the
President made Mr.. Colfax the Intermediary i'll
certain futile overturcs to Horace Greeley, which
never had serious Importance because they pro-
cee1ed on the wild idea that MI Greeley and those
who acted with him were moved by personal
grievances. A hali-oncr of the English mission was
one of the temptations which MI. COifaX en-
ployed to dange before Mr.. Greelcy's eyes but the
veteran editor unhcstatingly rejected it, " My
business needs me- he wrote to COlfay, and |
don't think the English mission does much" Later
there WAS disposition among great many Ecpub-
lcans to nominate Colfax for the Presidency in
1872. for it was believed that his candidacy would
prevent the split which obviously inevitable if
Grant ran again. lie would not allow tho use Of
his name, however declaring that Grant deserved
| the denomination and must have it. lie denied
that the Administration had committed any serious
errors hc had always been too icrvid "A party nan
to believe that his party could 90 far wrong. Yet
remarkable letter which he published in Tie
| Ipdependent in 1871, EXPRESSING the popular
demand for reform, substantially on the lines laid
down by the Liberal Republicans, was, in effect
| though doubtless not in intention. u pointed
arraignmcnt of General Grant. and was not unnat-
urally interpreted as a bid for the succession But
whatever may have been tie explanation OF this
manifesto it seems clear to us that Cofax was
not intriguing for the Presidency and that his
| loyalty to Grant was never shaken. Some time
| before this incident he had announced his intention
] ol IL Ut m OF i.r