Men of Our Times; Or, Leading Patriots of the Day Being narratives of the lives and deeds of statesmen, generals, and orators. Including biographical sketches and anecdotes of Lincoln, Grant, Garrison, Sumner, Chase, Wilson, Greeley, Farragut, Andrew, Colfax, Stanton, Douglass, Buckingham, Sherman, Sheridan, Howard, Phillips and Beecher.

CHAPTER X.--SCHUYLER COLFAX.

Chapter 10132 wordsPublic domain

General William Colfax, Washington's Friend--Mr. Colfax his Grandson--Mr. Colfax's Birth and Boyhood--Removes to Indiana--Becomes Deputy County Auditor--Begins to Deal with Politics--Becomes an Editor--The Period of Maximum Debt-- Mr. Colfax's First Year--He is Burnt Out--His Subsequent Success as an Editor--His Political Career as a Whig--Joins the Republican Party--Popularity in his own District--The Nebraska Bill--Mr. Colfax goes into Congress--The Famous Contest for Speakership--Mr. Colfax Saves his Party from Defeat --Banks Chosen Speaker--Mr. Colfax's Great Speech on the Bogus Laws of Kansas--The Ball and Chain for Free Speech--Mr. Colfax Shows the Ball, and A. H. Stephens Holds it for him--Mr. Colfax Renominated Unanimously--His Remarkable Success in his own District--Useful Labors in Post Office Committee--Early for Lincoln for President--Mr. Colfax urged for Post Master General--His Usefulness as Speaker--The Qualifications for that Post--Mr. Colfax's Public Virtues. 347