The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-30
JOHN BROUGH.

O4Al 4ACa ~ A1 O-AAlLk9 - Sac a.
terdsy afternoon at one O'Clock, sitter q long
and painful illness, brought on by intense
devotion to the public interests. In his
death our city has lost p~ublie-spirited,
enterprising and honorable citizen, our
State one of the most faithful, upright and
honorable executives that ever graeed the
'G~ubernAtoriAl efice, the Union one of It's
stanchest supporters and noblest statesmen,
and the world an honest man. Such men
can lily be spsred from city, commonwealth
or country, and when they die the loss is
not circumscribed by party or sectional
lines, but is felt and mourned wherever it
is known.
John Brough wss born and bred a Buck
eye boy, of that race of hardy pioneers
who have furnished the country with its
greategt soldiers and statesmen. Hell
was born in Marietta, Ohio, in the year
1911, and was, at the time of his death,
hfty-fOur years Of age. In 1928, at the
sge of eleven, he entered q printing office
and became 8 practical printer. In 1925
be went to Athens Ohio, and entered .
seminary there, supporting himself mean
time, by working at his trade in the office
of the Athens Mirror. In this manner,
struggling at the same time with the diff
culties of science and the more formidable
obstacles which poverty interposed, he
nevertheless succeeded in obtaining an
excellent English education, and 8 fair
knowledge of Latin. Returning to Mari
eta in the year 1881, st the age of twenty,
be made his first essay in politics, publish
ing and editing the Washington County
Republican, which, under his management
became noted for ability and interest,"
Brough early espoused the principles of
the Democratic party, then the party of
Jackson and Benten,-the party of the
people everywhere and threw his whole.
soul into the advocacy of the popular prin-
ciples which gave unity and organization
10 his party. In 1888 he removed to Ian
caster, Fairfield county, where he published
the Ohio Eagle until 1888, in which year
be was elected to the Legislature from that
county. In 1889 he became the nominee
Of the Democratic party for Auditor
of State, and was elected by 8 largeI
majority. With such Probity and efficiency
did he discharge the duties of his office
that he was twice re- nominated and re.
elected 70 it. holding it for six years. In
ls4I he bought the Cincinnati Phonir of
Moses Dawson, changed its name to the
Enquirer, placed his brother, Charles
Brough, in charge of it as editor, and
made It at once the leading Democratic
journal, not only of the State but of the
West. In 1916, at the expiration of his
term Of Office he assumed editorial charge
Of his paper. continuing therein till 1s4s
BIS labors SIS spoliticianWere not confined
to the editorial room. As an orator he was
st once the most indefatigable andthe most
marvellously eloquent among the Dsmo-
cratic stump-speskers of the time. He be-
came known throughout the State as the
only man who could successfully
meet Tom. Corwin, then theI
great Wing leader, in argument and
many were the mental Journeys which
trsnspired between these two champions,
in the off hand, open air gatherings of those
days. Brough's eloquence his marvellous
4Ogfoj md his powerful huuvr Gro etifft ra
iditiors which the old inhabitants of South
ern Ohio have to remember and rehearse
In 1s4s he retired from political life,
and became President of the Madison and
Indianapolis Railroad, which office he re
signed in 1853 to assume the Presidency of
the B~ellefontsine and indianapolis road.
In 1859 he became q resident of this city.
After his assumption of his duties as 8
railroad officer, up to the breaking out of.
the war, John Brough took no public
part in politics, though acting and voting
with the Democrats. The moment, how.
ever. that the Union was imperilled, he
broke all party ties and announced himself
a firm and devoted supporter of the IN
ion, recognizing no other political allsgi.
naIC0 vi nmuAsls Ii kA6 GElo9 VI ObhtO DOA-u
itics which occurred in 1868, when the
Oopperhesd party, flushed with their suc-
cess at the previous fall election, had the
insane hsrdihood to put in nomination the
Infamous Vallandighsm, then under SEN
|tence of banishment for treason, upon al
platform, which masked the doctrines Of
secession under q very thin disguise, the
|loyalisls of the State looked snxiously for
Ia candidate under whose leadership the
triumph ofthe Union cause might not only
be assured but overwhelming. Such q
leader they found in John Brough, and
when his name was suggested, it met with
a most enthusiastic and unanimous
response. He wAs nominated for Gov-
ernor by the Union State Convention,
by 8 large majority, and soon enter
ed upon the canvas of the State.
No ione who witnessed can ever forget
thu scenes of that canvass. The issue
unmistakable. On one side, every
true friend OF the Union rallied to the sup
DOrb OF hu Ouu OomOSEhb pub al ululuCuADRE
Onthe other, q strong party, whose
platform and nominees alike proved its
sympathy with rebellion, under the lead of
Pugh, Cox, Pendleton, Thurman, MedarY,
ID ouns gs7aaes, presented the name Of
, convicted Traitor. The contest was
watched with absorbing interest throughout
the land, for on it depe4ded the relation Of
Ohio 70 the Union and the wal. It was
wsged with an energy and bitterness with
out parallel and the exertions made byi
Governor Brough in csnvassing the State
weru hsrculezn. TIL result indicated the
patriotism of the Buckeye State by the 2
magnificent and unprecedented msjority
Of fO1, O99.
The record of John Brough's career as
Governor is too well known to need recital
here. It has been characterized through
,ut by singular ability and selfsacrihcing
idslity, and the Purest patriotism. The war
.dded greatly to the difficulty and import
nee of his official duties, and the burden
# responsibility and work which he had