Anna Dickinson General Correspondence Colfax, Shuyler 1868-71Fortieth Congress, U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. March 6 1868 Dear Miss Dickinson, I have had to reply to over 300 invitations the past fall & winter that I had not time to spare from public duties & private business, & had therefore retired from the lecturing field altogether. And I could not say yes to your Flint friends without exposing myself to reproaches from all the others whom I had refused. If I could say yes, the fact that it was urged by one whom I esteem so highly would induce me to say it, but it is really impossible. Yrs truly, Schuyler ColfaxLet me say, in addition, that I was very glad to hear from you in such a pleasant note & that I have been extremely gratified at your brilliant success on the platform. But having heard you here. on that famous occasion you remember, I do not wonder at the crowds you draw. I heard what you said so kindly of me at my own town-my loved home-of South Bend-& what you repeat so earnestly in your letter. But the fates have ordered it otherwise, & I accept the situation without a sign. Grant is our predestined candidate, as you have found out in your travels; for a variety of reasons has been drawn to us more this winter than ever before-far more than 2 yrs ago. But, with any one, we have a hard little contest before us. Thank God the hour of our deliverance from the apostate draweth nigh. always & truly yr friend Schuyler ColfaxNew York, June 8. 1869. Hon Danl. & Mrs. C.N. [Wilter?], Denver Hon O. J. Hollister, Salt Lake City, Gen & Mrs John F. Miller, San Francisco, Dear friends, Passing through this City on a visiting tour, I find a note from Miss Anna E. Dickinson, stating that she is going to California, and I take the liberty of sending her this triple letter of introduction en route that those who I esteem so much may have the pleasure of knowing one whom I have known & valued for her devotion to Liberty & the Country for years. Commending her to such confidence & regard, of which she is so worthy, and trusting that you may be able to extend to her some of these courtesies, which I have found so pleasant to a traveller in a far country. I am Very sincerely yours Shuyler ColfaxSchuyler Colfax Hon. Mr. and Mrs. D. Milton, Denver Hon. O. J. Hollister, Salt Lake Hon. Gen. and Mrs. John L. Milton, San Francisco Introducing, Miss Anna Dickinson -Pg. 2- Vice President's Chamber Washington June 14, 1870 Dear Miss Dickinson, I have first received a letter from Mrs, McMillan of Alleghany (who lived in my District before her marriage to Rev. [?] McMillan) and she tells me in it of her conversations with you at Phila [delphia] during the Presbyterian Assembly and of the good words so cordially spoken by you of me. And "the spirit moves me" to tell you, in return, how much I value and appreciate this earnest and faithful and long continued friendship of yours. I have often realized as I have tried before I think its inestimable value, and can assure you] it is most truly and warmly reciprocated. And even when I was not fully convinced of the positions you socogently & forcibly present & maintain in your public addresses, I have listened to them always with interest & with profit. I know I am a laggard on woman suffrage, not having been thoroughly converted yet, but I read & hear all I can on the subject. This term of office ends my public life, as I have stated to many intimate friends, for I long for the quiet of private life with my wife & boy & intend to have it. But I shall never forget the frank words of confidence in me you have so often & so politicly spoken, while I have been in the thorny pathway of political life. Always & sincerely your friend Schuyler ColfaxVice-President's Chamber, Washington, Mch 31, 1871 Dear Miss Dickinson, I am glad to learn that you contemplate a visit to Europe next summer for rest and enjoyment. I trust you will have favoring breezes on the Ocean, a delightful visit and a safe return. If, in your journeyings, you should find anyone who would value a letter of introduction from me as of any worth, please use this note as such, heartily commending you to their confidence and friendly courtesies, of both of which I know you to be so worthy. With sincere regard, Very truly yrs, Schuyler Colfax Vice-President's Chamber, Washington, March 31, 1871 Dear Miss Dickinson, I received your letter from Wheeling yesterday. We have no Minister now is G.B. and [?}, acting pro tem, I only know by reputation. But I send In a general letter, which our M.C.S., who have had then of me when going abroad, while I was Speaker, or since I have been V.-P., tell me is more value than a special one. Garfield told me he found that it opened picture galleries of the nobility, whether on the regular day of opening or not, & that all U. S. officials, as well as citizens generally respected it as if addressed directly to them. Others have borne the same testimony. You know rank has more weight in a country like G.B than here, where one man is as good as another "if he behaves hisself."Frankly, I doubt whether it would be best to come here to make the plain talking speech you indicate. We shall be off, I trust, in two or three weeks at any rate; but, apart from that, I have been so much pained by our divisions & strifes, that I appeal to all who speak to me about it, to study the Gospel of harmony & conciliation. Everything confirms me more &more in the determination to quit public life forever at the end of this term; but I do hope & pray that any intestine dissensions are not to surrender the country into the hands of the Democracy next year. To establish justice for all, especially our poor & humble & wickedly outraged friends South, & to preserve unimpaired what we have done, we must have one more victory in the Nation. But terrorism at the South is, I fear, to rob us of many electoral votes there; & , if we do not have unity, we shall lose the country; & the two or three new Supreme Judges sure to be appointed, as soon as the Democracy have power, will give our enemies the absolute control again of that power, so potential for the wrong in the dark days of the past. Mrs. C. joins with me in wishing you the happiest of summer visits. Our boy is a year old Apl 11th, & is a daily joy to us, I can assure you, bright, happy, good natured, & full of the cunningest ways. But you will laugh at my enthusiasm. Always & sincerely yrs Schuyler Colfax