The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-06-27

4th of March, 1868. His term of ser
vice embraced the most exciting in the
history of American legislation With
others he endeavored to avert the war
by measures of Cancellation and COM
promise, but their efforts were sneered
at by the Republicans left in an over
whelmng majority by the cowardly
abandonment of their seats by the Sc.
cession smembers When hostlities
commenced Vallandishams position can
be best described in his own words: Il
am for the Constitution first, and at all
hazards; for whatever can now be saved
of the Union next; and for peace al
ways as essential 10 tie preservation of
either" He was true to this faith, but
it was made the basis of the vilest slam
ders his speeches and letters were dis
torted, and every engine of detraction,
official and partisan, was set at work
against him. There was a wonderful
ingenuity of defamation exercised in
arousing popular prejudice He was
dogged by spies and detectives, his cor
respondence violated, and every act and
speech of his perverted so as to bring
odium and reproach; but in Congress
he was more than match for the most
acute of his opponents, by his readiness
in debate and skill in parliamentary
defence He died at time when his bit
terest opponents during the war were
commencing to do justice to his cour-
age, sincerity and honesty. If he was
not altogether prophet in his denun-
Citations of coercive policy, he certain.
ly came much nearer the truth than the
"sixty days. and "on to Richmond en-
thusiasts, who moulded public sentiment
at the North in the early part of the
war. Reading Mr.. acknowledgements
speeches, in the light of Radical policies
since the surrender of Lee, it cannot be
gainsaid that he caught the true intent
and aims of the Northerh revolutionists.
In the spring of 1868 came the Burn
side episode, which taken in all its parts
is one of the most disgraceful in Amer
ican history. 1t fairly reeks with official
perjury and judicial imbecility, covering
with its dark stains the highest in the
land. At two o'clock on the morning
of May 5, the doors Of Vallandigham'
house in Dayton were battered down,
his bed-chamber filled with brutal SOL
diery, a dozen of muskets leveled at his
breast and he carried off a prisoner to a
military bastile at Cincinnati. The Su-
preme Court of the United States by a
unanimous decision on similar state of
facts, has emphasized the absolute law
lessness of this great crime, by declar-
ing in effect that Vallandigham or his
friends would have been justified in
shooting in their tracks every one of
the kidnappers. His mock trial by a
military commission, ard banishment to
the South, his subsequent return and
candidacy for Governor, in 1868, and
the ballot box stuffing of that year, need
not be referred to. They constitute a
chapter of history,the disgrace of which
becomes deeper and more universally
felt as time dissipates prejudice and IA
naticism.l
Mr.. Vallandigham attended the Ma
tional Conventions of 1864 and 1868,
and his influence was felt in both as
semblages, in 1868 he made the can
vass against Schenck in the Dayton dis
trict, and was only defeated ATS votes
in poll of $4,000, the largest ever cast
in the district. In 1S67-S he was can
didate for United States Senator before
the Democratic members of the Legis
lature, but Judge Thurman was his sue
cessful opponent. From the time of
the Senatorial canvass up until the meet,
ing Of the late State Convention, Mr.
Vallandieham took little part in politics,
and devoted himself with great industry
and success TO the practice of his pro-
fession.
We need not refer to his part in the
late Convention. 1t was characteristic
of the man, and perfectly consistent
with his habits of thought and action.
Satisfied that the amendments were bona
fde parts of the Constitution, and that
they were recognized as such by the
three coordinate departments of the
Government, and that all agitation look.
ing to their annulment was worse than
useless, he accepted them, turned his
back on the means by which they were
engineered as foreign TO the real issues
before the country, but insisted they
should be subject to the same rules of
that had been applied in
ante war times by all parties to the or
ganic law 1t is true that Democratic
sentiment had in great degree reached
this point, but Mr. Vallandigham's bold
avowal induced general discussion
the Union, and that the Dem
ocratic party occupies the coigne of van
tage that it does to day, is attributable
in no small degree to the positive dec
arations of political policy set forth in
the Dayton platform.
Mr.. Vallandigham was candidate
for United States Senator, at the time
Of his death, to fill Senator Sherman's
place. He proposed a thorough can.
vass of the State to advance his inter.
asts as well as promote the success of
he party. 1t would have been charac-
eristically vigorous, and his place in
he front line of battle will be hard
one to fill. He was the most popular
stump speaker in Ohio-he held his au-
licences better than any other man, and
even in Republican counties could draw
arger audiences than any speaker of
hat party in the State.
A Ia s T T IB u t. E.
The Funeral Obsequies Of Clement
L. Vallandigham.