Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-06-22
From the Cincinnati Times and Chronile
Saturday evening. 18th
Death Of Mr.. VaIIandigham.


At quarter before ten O'Clock this /
morning, Clement L Vallandigham
breathed his last. at Lebanon, from the |
effects Of an accidental pistof-shot re
ceivcd last night, as recounted else
where in these columns. His conDec-
ton with the defense of the alleged |
murderers of Myers, at Hamilton, on |
last Christmas, has had this fatal ter
mination. To-day he was to have
ma4lss his great argument for the |
prisoner, n work for which he had |
thoroughly prepared himself, and |
which would have been unquestioDa-sl
bly,, an effort of remarkable power. |
In handling a pistol, which he appears |
to have thought unloaded, to illustrate
to associate counsel his theory that
Myers accidentally shot himself in
drawing his pistol from side pocket, |
Mr.. Vallandigham demonstrated but
too truly, it would seem, how it might
have happened. receiving a fatal wound
in the abdomen. We have been at
pains to get as full particulars as posi-
ble from correspondents on the grOunt1.
No event which has happened for
years will create more general sensa-
| ton throughout th country. 1t will
| be everywhere the theme of conversa-
ton and a source of sincere regret.
Clement L. Vallandigham was a ma
tive of Ohio, having been born at New
Lisbon, in Colunbiana County, about
1920. After receiving a rudimentary
education in the common schools, he
studied law, and, being still quite
young, was admitted to the bar IN
1912. He was a member Of the Ohio
Legislature in 1S45 and 1916, and for
! two or three years after was editor of
! the Dayton Empire, Democratic jour
nal of ability and influence under his
direction. From 1919 onward, he
gave his time to law 'practice,. with
some attention to politics. He was
member of the Democratic National
Convention in 1856, in this city He
ran against Lewis d. Campbell for
the Thirty fifth Congress, and obtained
the seat on a contest. He was re-
elected two years later, and again for
a third term. He took very decided
grounds against coercion" when the
secession movement commenced, and
after the rebellion assumed an organ
ized form as war. II is from this
point that his career has had special
note.
Mr.. Vallandigham was aTestedr .b5,
order of Gen. Burnside, in June, 1868,
on the following charge:
| Publicly expressing, in violation of
General Orders No 80, from Head
quarters Department the Ohio, sym
1 pathy for those III arms against the
Government of the United States, and
declaring disloyal sentiments and
opinions, with the object and purpose
of weakening the power of the Gov
ernment in its efforts to suppress an
unlawful rebellion. - =. :: -
After a military trial, one which,
though attended by eminent counsel,
including his political friends, Messrs.
Pendleton and Pugh, he declined to
make any defense-denying the law
fulness Of the. tribunal-he was found
guilty, and sentenced to close con.
finement in some United States fort
during the CO n tinunce of the war
Gen. Burnside named Fort Warren, in
Boston, but Mr.. Lincoln mitigated the
sentence into Punishment, and he was
; sent to Gen. Rosecrans to be put. be.
yond the military lines. His escape
from thence to Canada his nomination
as the Dcmocgatfc canid;tta for Gov.
$ ernor of Ohio; and his defeat by John
Brough, the Union nominee, are events
familiar to the recollection of all
Subsequently, at the Democratic Ma
final Convention of 1864, Mr. Vallan
. bigham was an influential leader, bu
took no very positive part in politics
until the State canvass of 1867 Tht
Democrats having carried the Legisla
tGre' Mr.. Vallandigham was candi-
date for the Senatorship, but was beat
Y en- in caucus by Judge Thurman, who
had made the race for Governor Thi:
! defeat Mr.. Vallandigham felt to be al
4 injustice, more especially as the reason
= was understood to be the "odium" h,
had incurred by his bold advocacy oi
i PRINCIPLES and action in " hich the grea
q mass of his party concurred. He tool
. a prominent part in the Democratic Ma
! tional Convention of 1868, at Tamman,
4 Hall, and was understood to be con
i cerned in a scheme for bringing on
Chief Justice Chase for the Presidency
! In furtherance of this plan and to pre-
vent the nomin ltion1of another :randi
+ date, as has been generally understood
!. he brought out Horatio Seymonr in
f handsome speech, and that gentleman
= instead of resigning in favor of Chase
4 concluded to accept the nomination
: The result need not be recited here
Mr.. Vallandigham then, devote,
4 himself more assiduously to the prac
) tice of the law, announcing his purpos
to let politics alone for the tim being
. A few weeks sihee-he became agaiI
. conspicuous before the eountry. il
II heading a movement which has bee
% called the ssnew departure, !" having 70
: its object to get rid of the old issues b
70 acquiescing in the results of the war a
! written in. the Constitution. His SUD
70 lien death leaves this work to othe
~ hands, or to be substantially aban
y doned. Its effect on the politics ofth
Of country cannot but be con Siderable. 3.
> We have been brought, by the part
20 conflicts Of thepast, into sharp antae
! onism at times, with Clemont Iva
;, landigham. In the heat of polite;
81 conflict, bold outspoken leader is |
i able TO he judged with too little char
70 ty. We could never regard his pos
. ton during the war with appreciation
~ nor is our Judgment changed by the sa
ri event which all who have human heart
- must deplOre Yet we had come.