Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-02-20
! 2Rsix ron THE raLLrn q vALLAN.
ne @,rea Martyr called Reckless Dcmagcguc Base
.sslIsis- dark with the il,ehc ef Esssu (which
il seem, !, nal NE Regular Democratic Baersg.

it seems !, not NE Regular Democratic Beverage
From Che n. = word tDemoctasic) Feb.5 5,
Ma. vALLANDIGHAM AND THE OHIO
.a1S 4 DEMOCRACY. w =
The forbearance heretofore practised
by the Democratic press toward Clement
l.. Vallandigham has ceased to be vir-
tuer so long as he injured the .party
BY the discredit brought upon 1t by his
character, we remembered that he had
been a victim of arbitrary power, and
tpassed his irnperfections' by" But now
that he has spitefully contributed to the
defeat of the party, and exults in his
revenge. be has cancelled his claims to
lenity, and releases US to speak Of him
as we would of any other avowed foe
1t was he that defeated Colonel Burns in
the Eighth Congressional District of
Ohio, and he glories in the achievement.
The article from the Dayton Ledger,
which we copy in another place, is at
tribated, aud 1--WE doubt not Justly attrl-
buted, to the pen of Mr.. Vallandighan;
but we have seen more direct evidence
OF his revengefu exultation over the
Democratic losses i'm that district. His
attachment to the Democratic party is
like the reverence of an ancient worship
per of Isis for the sacred COW. He dealt
her o plentiful volley of cursesand kicks
when he found she could not be MIXED
into his pail. -- .- .il
The article from his Dayton mouth
piece disoloses clearly enough Mr.. VAL
landigham's grievances. He had par
ticulaf grudge against Col. Burns, the
Democratic candidate, aud general VEN
geauce to wreak upon the Democratic
party of Ohio, which has not consented
to take this precious patriot at his own
VARIATION. Col. Burns, it seems, did not
approve Of fVallandigham's nomination
for Governor in 1868, when, with his
marty g's crown fresh upon his head, he
WIS so badly defeated. The result of
that election did no discredit to Colonel
Burns's political judgment; for Vallan-
digham was the worst beaten candidate
that ever ran for an Office. The great
point in his favor was his martyrdom (;
the great point against him was his per-
sonafcharacter but tho man proved too
heavy u load forthe martyr to carry
Had Mr.. .Pendeton been the martyr, in
stead of Mr.: Valandighan, he probably
would not have been elected; but he
would not have sunk the party to such
immeasurable depths in the slough OF
defeat. At any rate, there is such q con-
trAstsin the characters OF the two men
that even the political opponents of Mr..
Pandletonyhavo always respected him,
while Vallandigham has commonly been
deeplsed even by his political yoke-fel-
lows. we are glad thatthese two names,
which have so often been coupled to the
disadvantage of Mr.. Pendleton, are at
last dissociated. The fact that they were
both from Ohio, both Democrats, both
in Congress at the same time, and both
held pronounced views on the conduct
of the war, was unfortunate for Mr..
Pendlston, though 1t buoyed up his rest
less colleague, always drunk with "the
alcohol of egotism."
But now Vallandigham has gone over
10 the enemy. lie gnasheS his teeth at
MrsPmdleton for having overtopped
and eclipsed him. The representative
statesman OF the Ohio Democracy will
no longer be classed with his sinister and
treacherous rival. There is open hatred
and envy ON Que side, and unconcealed
contempt on the other. But we are di-
crossing from Col. Burns. Vnllandig-
ham accuses Col. Burns of having de-
sired the nomination of another Demo
cratic candidate for Governor to run
against him. If this be true, it shows
that Col. Burns had n just sense of the
mischief which would ensue from ma
king so odious q man the Democratic
standard bearer. Vallandgham was
glad Of the late opportunity to avenge
this atirOnt.
But this reckless demagogue had q
more ample store Or pent-up vengeance
against the Democratic party. He want
ed to be elected United States Senator
and the success of his competitor, Judge
Thurman, fills him with rage and envy.
When Thurman was put In one scale
and Vallandigham In the other, IL was
like weighing genuine coin against one
fabricated OF base metal. Its lightness
caused IL to kick the beam although II
had passed through the mint of martyr.
domand bore q stanlpwhich would have
given currency TO u piece having in
trusic value. A counterfeit coin Is not
only bad thing I'm itself, but 1t bring'
suspicion and discredit on the genuine
1t Is time this base piece were nailed tc
the counter. Judas Iscariot was for O
long timeitolerated among the disciples
although 1t was known that he had O
devil but we do not read that tho as
sociated was continued after his open
cooperation with the party of crucifiers
The defeat in the Eighth District of Ohio
can be very well borne, if IL enables the
Democratic party TO fling Off this viper
Valiandigham Is an active, restless
politician of small calibre, who fancied
that when Burnside's court-martial had
banished him beyond the rebel lines, his
political fortune was made. Had he
been man Of capacity and solid merit
the Democratic party of the whole coun
try would have recognized the claims o
O prosecuted patriot. But persecutio,
cannot raise a man above his natura
level. II can neither expand narrow
intellect, nor give generosity to selfisl
heart, nor inspire respect for vulga
character. A man who attends Demo
cratic Conventions and CRATES his teetl
and swears he will be revenged on th
party II Ii does not accept him Us II
leader, Is not very likely TO win NOR
consideration than belongs to histalent
and vlrtues. When he so arrogantl
blows his own trumpet, nobody feel
bound TO set forth the claims of modes
merit. The dlsproportion between hi
pretentions and his faculties inspire NOR
or loss disgust In men who would other
wise be glad to award him all he ca
justly claimi and they are more likely I
underestimate than overvalue what /
80 pretentiously thrust forward TO cha
ienge CRITICISM. II Mr.. Vallandighai
II a disappointed politician, he mus
thank himself. Ar accidental clrcun
stance, uke1he foolish blundor OF Gcr
Burnside, eannotmak q man seven fe,
high II nature hsss formed him only rs
feet nine; nor can II give any addition
al height TO his intellect and characte
IL can no more make Seymour or
Pendleton OF Vallandlgham, than bal
ishing a apugnaclous cock from his n
tive dupghill can give him the flight al
eye OF an eagle. III the returned coC