Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-06-22
meath of ur. vaIiandigham.

rho destb of Hon. Clement l.. Vallan
diobam has attracted much attention be
cause of his prominence in 'polltlcal lie
and as the leader of the democratic party
Of the country. He was man OF strong
will and persistence, possessed of bitter
prejudices, yet consistent in his course
and far above the ordinary meannessei
of American politicians life. He was
strongly in sentiments allied with the
South, and was really of the Calhoun
school. He made bitter opposition to the
war, and it will be remembered, was at
one time banished by order of President
Lincoln to the South, from whence he re-
turned by the way of Canada, and was
the same year defeated by the largest ma
joritY ever cast in Ohio for Governor. He
was elected to Congress at the age of IS
years, and at once took high rank as a
debater and leader of his party. The act
of his life that will longest remain in his
tory, was his quick trip to Harper's Fer.
ry, in October, 1859, as the champion of
3
Brown iwho his associates were. John
Browns memorable reply will go along
side with this act to a future generation.
The noble old hero Brown said to Vallan-
digham: mo man sent me here it was
my own prompting and that of my Max
err. I acknowledge no master in human
form. [ want you to understand gentle
men, that l respect the rights of the
poorest and weakest of the colored PEG.
pie, oppressed by the slave system, Just as
much as 1 do those of the most wealthy
and powerful. That is the idea that has
moved me, and that alone"
Despicable as was the object of Vallan-
digham's visit, he saw the manhood of
old John Brown, and even repealed
the charge that he was demented, |
and said in reply to those who thus
charged Brown:
"He is the ftrthest possible removed |
from the ordinary rufian, fanatic or mad
man; he has GOODNESS, daring, persistency,
the stole faith and patience, and firm
ness of will and purpose unconquerable'
Valandigham lived to see that the
opinions of his earlier life were impraoli-
cable, and that the democratic party
could no longer maintain itself in opposi.
tion to the current of the popular wave of
loyalty to the government and reconstruc-
ton. Upon the new basis, he was leader |
Of the New Departure" with an honest
purpose to retrieve himself from the obi
um into which he had fallen in bis
mistaken policy during the war. Scarcely
two months have elapsed since the
announcement of bis new views.
and what effect his death will have
remains yet TO be seen, but it is
probable the democratic party will follow
his plans, that they will prove unsuooess-
full with or without a strong leader, be-
cause its elements are those of weakness.
His public career may be briefly sum-
med up as follows;
Mr.. VallAndigham was born in New
Lisbon Ohio, in 1929, was educated at
J,fferson college. He studied law and
was admitted to the bar in Ohio in 1912
From 1847 he edited for two years dem
ocratic jonrnnl-the Dayton Empire. In
l845 he frat entered public life as u mem
Der OF the Ohio legislature. He was first
elected to congress in 1856, and in the
thirty fifth and thirty. sixth congresses =,
urvrd ON the committee on territories ,
nrhe thirty.seventh congress he made
himself conspicuous by his defiant oppo- !
stion TO al measures for the national 3
defence, and his open avowals of sym- {
pAthy for the rebels. His disloyalty was
too much for his constituents, and he fail 7
I'd to be elected to the next congress. In I
1868 be was arrested and tried by court t
martial for making an extremely sedi- |
tious and violent speech, counseling re- i
sistance to the draft. The sentence of the
court that he should be imprisoned dur
the war, was approved by General Burn
side commander Of the military depart '
ment, but President Lincoln modified it to
sending him beyond the lines of the army :,