Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-06-23
nsa.h eel. Yallandigham.


Hon. Clement L. Vallsndghan, the dis'in-
FINISHED leader Of the anti-Ssr democracy Oh
Ohio. and the originator Of the new departure
sc,;ds,,.Ilv shot himself at Lebanon, Ohio II
day night. and died st Q IS A. n, the next u'y,
He was engaged az counsel for the defence "a
ucGeb.n on trial for the murder OF Myers
.ns rp;,s in 4 room alone with e1-Lleut uo''
,I.p;-,sv his associate in the defense, and IN
conversation, McBirney expressed his aouo1s u
-. ,bsorv that Myers shot himself, when Val
1.r5igbsm pieked up one Of pair Of pistols
l,i,r On the table. taking by mistake the loaded
one. and attempted to explain how it was possible
/ for Myers to shoot himself For this purpose he
nut the pisto in his pocket and withdrew H.
keen;pr the muzzle next bis body. As be drew
/ It from his pocket it was discharged, Woundlng
/ him il nearly the same spot where Myers was
/ shot. lie exclaimed, "Oh murder - and sad
be had taken the wrong pistol The osH en-
tered the right side OF the abdomen below me
ribs, taking a downward course IN the aiiec-
ton Of the bladder. Mr.. Vallsndigham was
soon afterwards taken with vomiting, an m
favorable symptom, snd there were indicstions
Of internal bemorrhage The doctors seSrchel
for the bail for about an hour after the accident
when they gsye up the task as fruitless' closed
the wound, and placed the sufferer on his right
side He was calm and collected, and while the
examination was going on watched the surgeons
with eager eyes, and even assisted them IN
searching f5- the bullet His symptoms during
the night grew more sn5 more unfsvora5le, his
pulse rose above one hundred, HE hands and
fee, grew cod, and he vomited frequently but
threw no blood His death WAS due to internal
hemorrhase.
Mr. VsUandighsm owed his name to hls
/ Huguenot extraction His father was a Pres
byterisn clergyman. lie was born in Columbis
County. Ohio. in 1872, snd wss, therefore, at
the time Of his death, in the fitieth year Of his
age. He received a good education, and spent
two wears As the principal Of an academy IN
NarylsuG. Returning 90 Ohio in 1910, he
stuffed Law. and vas sinittei to the bsr N
1872. He was chosen to the Legislature OF Ohio
N 1875 and 1916, and though bu: twenty-three
years old. was the leader Of his party. lie was
Editor ofthe Dayton Empire from ls47 TO 1872.
For some years thereafter he devoted himself to
his profession and to politics IL 1853 he ran
against L. D. Campbell for Congress, and was
admitted at,ai a contested election. lie entered
Congress with eciat, and at once took high
rank among his associates, sni wss reelected for
the next term. Then came on the Wsr Of the re-
benion. sai Mr. Vallauiigh.m began the policy
which inside him 50 conspicuous. When he pre-
scented himself before his constituents in the fall
Of 1862 for reelection, he was defeated by de-
cisive majority. During the remainder Of his
Congressional term, however, he pursued his
peace policy with holiness and tensoity worthy
Of better cause.
NJ. yalandighan thought it bes, to sppes- &c
the people Of Ohio, by becoming 8 candidate for
Governor. In one Of he sllresses be uttered
language which was judged by Gen. Burnside TO
be seIitious and he was. therefore. arrested by
military force at Dayton, on sac 9th Of Nsy snd
tried by C1urt-Ms-tiaL He was sentenced 70 be
confined in a military prison until the end of the
war hut his sentence was changed by the Pres
iisut TO his being removed beyond the lines Of
the United States Armies On the l9th Of Nay
be was removed from Cincinnati 70 4 gunboat
sent across so Louisville. Ky, thence to Muir
freasboro'. Tern, where he arrived On the night
@. Missy "a lie was next sent over to the rebel
lines, whence be made biz way 20 Canada, and
ultimately returned bone. without being dis
turbed by tha authorities. During his exile be
was defestel llr Governor by one hundred
thous .ui usio5.ty. His political career siace Is
familiar % alL His sa,ioa in the Democratic
National Convention Of 1865 effected the nomins-
ton Of Seymour, though he really desired that
Of Chief Justice Chase. His connection with The
"new departure 90 Of Democratic policy has re-
Gently sbsar5cl tie attention Of the political
press.
The news of Lis desth has produced pro
found impression throughout tie country. and
s5r-ow is expressed by all parties a; the SD
occurrence.
Though be had been ia pablic life for quar-
Ter Of century, tAe-e Tr15sbly never was
time when Mr.. Vailsndigasm was more proni-
uent. more influential in his party, more q sub
iect Of comment il the papers Of both parties,
than ST the time Of his sudden death. lie viii,
however, be remembered more as the leader and
mouth piece Of traas-astle sympathy with the
rebellion, than Sc the author Of the new de-
psrture. In the first, he was uuquestiOnaoly
sincere in the last he was merely thep3.idcian.
Yet We are glad thA: be iii not pass from the
stage till, from Whatever motive, he had placed
on public record SO emphatic yiniicAtion Of the
purpose and work Of the republican party, which
he hated with such yirulelce.