SCHUYLER COLFAX

Here are the answers to the questions we posted pertaining to Schuyler Colfax:

First question: Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the Bullis Collection book, A Person History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax by Albert D. Richardson (published in 1868). Perhaps because he served as a long-term member of Congress and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.  In the ending pages of his book, Richardson heaped great praise on Colfax with these words:

"He is now in his third term as Speaker. No abler presiding officer ever sat in the chair of the House....Despite the bitterness of our recent contests, opposition members usually join unanimously at the close of a session in voting him thanks for his invariable impartiality." (page 559)

Second question: Who was Schuyler Colfax? In addition to being a member of Congress, he  was also the 17th vice president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1873 under President Ulysses S. Grant.  Again quoting from Richardson's sketch:

"In May, 1868, a national republican convention at Chicago unanimously nominated him for the second place on the ticket with Grant...It was the greatest personal triumph ever achieved in such a body." (pages 559-560)

And yet with this admirable background, Schuyler Colfax was not chosen as President Grant's second-term vice president. Various historical sources indicate that Colfax left office under a cloud, involving the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. A sad ending to what now appears to have been a successful career in public service.

You can read the entire sketch when you stop by the Bullis Room.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

Two items grabbed our attention this week when we looked over one of those "this week in history" lists:

1. On July 27, 1866: "Cyrus W. Field finished laying out the first successful underwater telegraph cable between North American and Europe (a previous cable in 1858 burned out after only a few weeks' use)."

and

2. On July 25, 1866: "Ulysses S. Grant was named General of the Army of the United States."


We searched the Bullis archives for information on both these subjects and came up with nothing on the first (but we're still looking!) and lots of stuff on the second.

Here's what we found when we did a search on General Grant.  There are six books on the subject in the collection.  All of them are worth our time to at least scan through, and some of them warrant a serious read. Here's a list and we offer it to you for your reference and consideration for further reading:


Military History of Ulysses S. Grant: from April, 1861 to April, 1865, by Adam Badeau, published by D. Appleton in 1881.

The Travels of General Grant, by Joel Tyler Headley, published by New World Publishing, in 1881.

A New, Original and Authentic Record of the Life and Deeds of General Ulysses S. Grant, by Frank A. Burr, published by H. B. Graves in 1885.

The Life of Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Armies of the United States, by James Harrison Wilson, published by Gurdon Bill & Co., in 1868.

Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant,  by Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) Grant, published by C. O. Webster & Co. in 1885-86.

A Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax, by Albert D. Richardson, published by American Publishing Co. in 1868.

You'll find  maps, facsimilies, prints, and illustrations in these books. And a lot of good reading. Enjoy.


(P.S. Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the last book listed above? Who was he?)