Chapter X: Schuyler Colfax

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

CHAPTER XI.--EDWIN M. STANTON.

Rebel Advantages at Opening of the War--They Knew all about
the Army Officers--Early Contrast of Rebel Enthusiasm and
Union Indifference--Importance of Mr. Stanton's Post--His
Birth and Ancestry--His Education and Law Studies--County
Attorney--State Reporter--Defends Mr. McNulty--Removes to
Pittsburg--His Line of Business--The Wheeling Case--He
Removes to Washington--His Qualifications as a Lawyer--He
Enters Buchanan's Cabinet--His Unexpected Patriotism--His
Own Account of the Cabinet at News of Anderson's Move to Sumter
--The Lion before the Old Red Dragon--Appointed Secretary of
War--"Bricks in his Pockets"--Stanton's Habitual Reserve--
His Wrath--"The Angel Gabriel as Paymaster"--Anecdotes of
Lincoln's Confidence in Stanton--Lincoln's Affection for him--
The Burdens of his Office--His Kindness of Heart within a Rough
Outside--The Country his Debtor. 363