Schuyler Colfax American politician Date of Birth: 23.03.1883 Country: USA

1. Schuyler Colfax: Early Life and Political Beginnings
2. Antebellum Political Career
3. Speaker of the House
4. Vice President and Corruption Scandal
5. Later Career and Legacy

Schuyler Colfax: Early Life and Political Beginnings

Schuyler Colfax was born in New York City in 1823, the grandson of General William Colfax, who fought in the Revolutionary War. Orphaned at a young age, Colfax moved with his stepfather to Indiana in 1836. He pursued journalism, becoming a newspaper editor at the age of 19.

Antebellum Political Career

Initially a Whig, Colfax ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 1850. He was elected in 1854, becoming an outspoken critic of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. After the demise of the Whig Party, he joined the Know-Nothings and then the Republican Party. In 1856, he chaired the House Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads.

Speaker of the House

Colfax became a staunch opponent of slavery. After Galusha Grow's defeat for Speaker of the House, Colfax was elected as his successor. He served as Speaker during the secession crisis and the early years of the Civil War.

Vice President and Corruption Scandal

In 1868, Republican presidential candidate Ulysses Grant selected Colfax as his running mate. The Grant-Colfax ticket won a decisive victory, making them the youngest President and Vice President pair in American history until the election of Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1992. During his vice presidency, Colfax became embroiled in a corruption scandal known as the Cr?dit Mobilier scandal, involving bribes paid to prominent politicians.

Later Career and Legacy

Colfax was not nominated for a second term as vice president. He later pursued a career as a lecturer. In 1885, he died from a heart attack triggered by a walk in sub-zero temperatures in Minnesota. Despite the scandal that overshadowed his later years, Colfax's contributions to the Republican Party and his role as a vocal opponent of slavery remain part of his legacy.