Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-14
Facts About His Career as Speaker
and as Vice President Given
by Chief Clerk Lloyd.
OF MOST GENIAL DISPOSITION.
While Not of Profound Mental Ability he
Made the Most of the Talents
Entrusted to Him.
HOW HE GOT AHEAD OF SUNSET COX.
LPleaea1t Way Out Of the Unpleasant Duty Of Cutting
on Long Wirded Speaker.
rwR1rrES FOR THE D1sPATcu.l

twRITTES FOR TIE DIsPATCu.l
Ihavc never known any public man who
seemed to be more thoroughly contented
with his situation than Schuyler Colfax.
OF good lineage; 4 descendant on the faith
er's side of General Colfax, who was close
friend of Washington, and, on the mother S
side from General Schuyler, of New York,
he was possessed of a most genial DISPOSE
tion: amiable, good-humored, wearing q
smile always, that gained for him the so
briquet of ''Smiier" Colfax; with q kind
word and hearty haGd-shake for every
body, his personal popularity was easily
accounted for.
He certainly possessed the knack of Con
Cregan's daddy, ct always saying the thing
that was pleasing TO the company, and was
the most delightful of social companions
Confident in his strength with his constitu-
ents, as evidenced in their support by ever
increasing maioritieS he appeared to be ab-
soluIely free from the cares which continu-
ally vex the average politician.
He Was Wonderfully Industrious.
lie was one of the most industrious men I
have ever known, and found pleasure in
work more than in society, for which he
cared apparently but little. He had no
vices. and none Of the distractions which they
produce lie never impressed me as a man
OF profundity in any respect, but he GER
tainlv possessed a marvellous facility
in working up his intellectual capital
TO the very best advantage. He was
fond of anccd ties, and could appreciate a
good joke at his own expense, las in the case
he related TO me, when guest at my home
in PENNSYLVANIA, of some negro minstrels,
who were giving an entertainment at his
own town of South Bend In the inter-
ludes OF the music the head man said to
another: Il was in Washington some time
ago"
"Who did you see dar?'
"Well, I saw President Grant
= = ''What did Grant say to you?'
''JIe said nothin'. 1 went in one door
and he kicked ne ont dc oder"
"Wcll, who else did YOU see?"
81 saw de Vice President, Mr.. Colfax."
"What did he say to you?'' +,
''Oh he said nothing, too; he jess smiled"
Didn't Get on with Newspaper 1Ien.
Fortunate as he was in his public career,
yet. like the course of true love, it did not
alwavs run smooth. He unfortunately
stirred up an anilnOSitv on the part of the
newspaper correspondents, who lost no op-
portunity to slash him. 1t did not seem,
however, 10 disturb his equanimity, and his
position enabled him to disregard their
structures, until the cloud came over him in
the Credit-Mobilier affair, of which, of
course, they made the most. Even in this
irving ordeal, however, he bore up in
manner that could not have been possible if
he had felt a consciousness OF guilt
The affair was, of course, extremely un-
foT-11nqrp mud Il n lllu rpt of tho
apparently greater power Of evil than of
good. \ drop of ink will discolor a tumbler
Of water, while tumbler of water will not
eiface al ink spot. Weeds grow more luxu-
riantly than grain. One bad deed, or even
the suspicion OF il, beclouds the fair fame
gained by lifetime of well doing. NV
confidence in Coltax was too strong to be
shaken by anything that the investigation
disclosed. He was too sensitive of his per-
soEal honor 10 permit of his being con-
sciously bTibed.
How John 3Iorrissey BrIbed Him.
An illustration Of this was found in the
case when John dorriSSey called on him
ana presented him with box of choice
cigars, which Colfax, who was an inveterate
lover Of the weed, gratefully accepted, but
in 4 moment after wished he hadn't, when
Morrissey said he had called on him to con-
suit him about the place he was to have on
the committees. Colfax was greatly dis
tJTbed as he realized the purpose of Nor
rissey's present, but was greatly relieved
when, in answer TO question as TO what
committee he would like TO be placed on,
NoTrisSey replied that he wanted to be on
& committee that had nothing to do. He
was put at the tail end OF the Committee on
Revolutionary Pensions, and both men were
happy.
NJ. Cclfax probably first came into po-
litical prominence in the House in 1856 by
u remarkable speech on the laws of Kansas,
which had been passed by the pro-slavery
Legislature Of that Territory for the prot &C
ton Of 'the peculiar institution" and n
which he gave an object lesson by exhibit
ing orc OF the iron balls. weighing 30
pounds, that the Law prescribed should be
chained to the leg Of anyone guilty of deny
ing the right TO hold property in slaves, and
which he made the text Tor 4 most eloquent
and impassioned exordium.
Ills Success as Speaker.
He was elected Speaker of the House at
the beginning of the ThirJy-eighth Congress
in December, 1865, and reelected Speaker
OF the two succeeding Congresses There
was probably no man in the House at the
time better qualified for the position of
Speaker With his accustomed industry he
had made the rules s:Ibiec. of special
study, and had become thoroughly familiar
with parliamentary practice. His prophetic
uttcraHce, IN the first sentence Of his address
on taking the chair, brought a storm
OF applause from his political friends in the
House, and its fulilment increased their
confidence. Said he:
To-day will be marked in American his
tory rs the opening of Congress destined