The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-06-18
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
II. FL. ROBINSON,
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
8 p f E 9 Fl
HON. q. L. vALLAND1GHAM,
At the Meeting at Beclel Hall,
Saturday Evening, June 10, 1855,

| his appearance, and proceeded TO address
the meeting at some length, He said the
meeting was one of the people, called under
circumstances which had occurred In their
midst within the last two or three days. II
would already have been observed that in
calling this meeting, the ordinary prepa-
rations had been dispensed with, so that
! their action might be considered as a spon-
taneous expression of their feelings. tie
proposed addressing them at some length,
and all those sympathizing with
the purpose of the meeting would remain
throughout the proceedings and give them a
| just and proper attention. Ii was his pur-
pose also to deliberate and animadvert
truthfully, discreetly, but earnestly, on the
subject, which the obnoxious conduct oi
certain persons had rendered necessary
but for his own sake, he would do the thing
decently and In order, and not indulge in
rash counsel or in unnecessary and ill-ad-
vised words. They were beginning pro-
ceedings which might last for one, two, three
pose of the friends of Mr., BollmeyeI
to have n fitting monument erected
to his memory, bearing such an
inscription as would enable them
to express their sentiments and show
respect to his memory. The occasion OF
! the meeting was extraordinary, and car
ried them back four years. They were
udCh W blit SCtiltS Vi .nTt anu
insanity OF the late civil war, of which
this city had perhaps more experience than
any other in the Northern or Western
country. 1t was In regard TO occurrences
with which they were all familiar, on
| which they could all express their senti-
ments, and take such action as in their
| wisdom and discretion they would assume
proper. They all remembered the assas-
sination of the editor of the EMPIRE in
| nf ha Of hn
Cemetery, in which his remains were de-
posted. rendered necessary the revival OF
| the subject, still fresh in the memory of all
He desired to direct his remarks according
| tO date with some system, but without any
| fixed preparation. Mr.. V. had his notes
in his hand.-REP.l THESE ''notesr con
sisted solely of the statement of the Trus-
tees, and the testimony Of CuPpy and
rumbaugh.-EMPIRB II had been his
good fortune to have known Mr.. J. i. Boil
meyer earlier, If not better, than, per-
haps, any person present In 1859 or 1860
or perhaps earlier, he met him as Q
clerk in the Treasury Department IN
Washington. He frequently visited him
aud he had known him several months be-
fore he became aware that the noble and
manly parsonage was the little boy he haC
known eight years previous in western
village. Having some experience as Al
editor, Mr.. Bollmeyer was desirous of re-
moving to Dayton and of becoming con-
neeted with a Democratic paper. He ac-
complished his purpose, coming here in
1860, and at once received that position
from his party to which his superior tai
ents and extraordinary energy justly en-
know him was to love him. He did not
| believe-and he for one would express
his opinion---he knew one who bade so
fair. He had as noble a character as
ever belonged TO human kind, and his
position was as fine as any editor In the
United States. IL was not his intellect
or his energy, of which he possess
ed large amount but those better
| traits which attracted one and all so
warmly to him. Therefore. in the sum
mer OF 1860, in the Presidential election
preceding the civil war, he took that po-
sition accorded him as an editor and lead
er by reason of his superior ability, at the
State Convention and on the Central Com
mittee. OF course he had political hostili-
ties, but he (Mr. w had yet to know that
he had made an enemy. He knew not OF
one. Even the opposite party paid a just
tribute to his worth. After the election of
! 1851 came the civil war. Mr.. Bollmeyer
was of O decided character, and from the
commencement he acted earnestly and con-
scientiously. as one who had made up his
mind, He did not see fit to change. As
the editor of the EMPIRE he held respon-
sible position, he mannlly maintained 1t,
and before his death the EMPIRK became
| one OF the most. promising papers In the
United States. IL was known, and his
name was known and dreaded and its edi-
| tor believed he was, by the course he
adopted advocating the best interests of the
| country. IL Is trne, Mt this time there was
political ill-will. lie need not go far for an
example. The assassination of more than
one gentleman had been melted. 1t was
not necessary to reeapitulate what was so
well known. They knew of threats, they
knew Of dangers, they knew they carried
their lives In the hollow of their hands,
| they knew they never passed the corners
OF the streets, they never appeared on the
public highways, but threats were made
not uttered when they were present, but
when they had passed by. A thousand
dollars had been offered by prominent
merchant of the town IL the gentleman
now addressing them were put to death,
but lle still liyed-he was there tonight
there to speak. (Cheers.l This went on
till 1861 until the DemOcratic party tri-
umphed, reversing the majority which
carried the election of 1851. They had a
gentleman as secretary of the meeting who
was elected Mayor in 1862. after a violent
| and bitter contest when the entire Demo-
| cratic ticket was carried; and here we
would say thai no man contributed more 10
the success of that ticket than Mr.. Boil
meyer. Again, that incurred hostilitIes,
| ill-will. and violent threats; again, he
would repeat during all that time. there
was not single Instance Of Mr.. BOllmeyer
getting into any difficulty with the oppo-
| site party, and. of course, not with his own.
It was his (Mr. N,'s) fortune--whether
misfortune or not he would not say--to be
absent the very day he fella victim 10 muir
er-hate--instgated and urged on by the
occurrences of the year and six months pre-
vious. On the day of the murder, he was la
his own native place, with no telegraph of
| flee within ten miles. Ii was dark; the eve
ming shadows were gathering roand twi-
light was falling, when he reeelveda u special
message that Mr.. Bollmeyer had been killed
in the streets of Dayton by Henry NJ.
Brown. The speaker was not present. and
had no part In what followed. What part
| he should have taken, had he been present,
| IL was not now necessary 10 say but it was
| his deliberate, oppressed opinion, three and
q half years after the deed was committed,
that Il would have been better for all par
ties concerned II vengeance had fallen on
the head OF the assassin them fCheers.
| Cutting short his visit, he hastened 20 Day-
ton. coming In the midst of great public
excitement II being the determination OF
one hundred and 1fty persons that the
murderer should expiate his offensA TheV