The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-19
CLEMENT l.. vALLANDIGHAM.

l. VA1LASpIGHAM has produced thrill
of genuine grief in the hearts Of our
whole community. The shocking man.
ner Of his death, the strange occurrence
by which he has been suddenly cut OH
in the flower of his manhood and in the
full vigor OF health, has served to startle
the public and intensity their sorrow.
During the past few months Mr.. VAL
LASplGuAM has been more prominently
before the people than for seven years
before. His connection with the famous
Montgomery county resolutions and
with receLt political movements Ohio
and throughout the country at large,
had brought him conspicuously to the
front among the politicians Of the day,
and his opinions have been made the
subject Of discussion upon all sides. In
the midst of this and while occupying
so large a space in the public eye, he is
suddenly cut off by most distressing
accident, without warning, with but a
few hours intervening between the oc.
rurrence OF the accident and resulting
death. The blow has been 80 sudden,
the shock so totally unexpected, that it
seems hard to realize that VALLANDIG-
HAM is dead.
CLEMENT LAIRD VALLANDIGHAM was
descended from a Huguenot family and
was born in New Lisbon, Columbiana
county, Ohio, in 1922. He received a
good education, spent one year in JEFF
ferson College, Pa, and was for two
years Principal Of an Academy at Snow
Hill, Maryland He returned TO Ohio,
studied law, and was admitted to the
bar in 1912. He was member Of the
Ohio Legislature in As and 40 editor
of the Dayton Enquirer from A. to 40,
and was a member Of the National
Democratic Convention in 1856. In
the same year he ran for the Thirty
fifth Congress against Hon. l.. c.
CAMPBELL and successfully contested
his seat. He was subsequently elected
to the Thirty-sixth and to the Thirty
seventh Congress In 1868 he was ar
rested by military authority for express
ing his opinions concerning the war
was tried by military commission and
sentenced to Imprisonment in Fort
Warren, but the sentence was commu'
ted 10 banisbment to the Southern
States. He made his way from the
South by sea to Canada, where he re-
manned until some time in 1864. Dur
ing his exile he was nominated by the
Democratic party as candidate for
Governor Of Ohio. He received a full
party vote; more than had been cast for
the successful candidate few years
before; but the apparent Republican
vote was sixty thousand greater than
ever before or since, and he was
declared defeated. He has re-
manned in private life pursuing the
practice of his profession from that
time until his death; but taking part as
opportunity presented in the political
affairs of the nation and State. He was
a member OF the National Democratic
Convention in 1868 and labored for the
nomination Of Judge CHASE to the
Presidency. His recent prominence in
the Democratic State Convention in
Ohio is still fresh in the memory and
upon the lips Of our readers.
At this distance from the period Of
strife, the sentiments uttered by Mr..
VALLANDIGHAM which were made the
basis OF the accusation which produced
his arrest and Punishment seem less
than ever to justify the treatment he re-
ceived. His famous peace resolutions
in Congress were little more than a
transcript OF the CRlTTENDEN resolutions,
which had been unanimously adoptedbut
a short time before. The speech which
was the immediate cause OF his arrest
was delivered at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, on
the lst of May 1868, and commented up
on the terms Of BURNsIDE's General Or
der No. 49," The address he issued
while n:prison in Cincinnati contain
ed the following language:
81 am Democrat-for the Constitu.
ton, for law, for liberty-this is my
only Crime For no disobedience to
the Constitution for no violation Of
law; for no word, sign, or gesture Of
sympathy with the men Of the South,
who are for disuuion and Southern in
dependence, but in obedience to their de-
mand as well as the demand of North
ern abolition disunionists and traitors, |
am here in bonds to-day"
Time has already done much TO soften
the asperity Of public feeling against Mr..
VALLANDIGuAM, and it is quite probable
that had he lived few years longer he
would have received the full confidence
and regard of all who acknowledge his
splendid abilities and appreciate his
power. As an orator he had few equals.
He had the true magnetic presence that
drew. to him the hearts OF all with
whom he came in contact, and his elo-