The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-06-25
CLEMENT L. VALLANDIGHAM.
FOm an hrti.io BY Tho Hon. s. s. Chr in tbe l..

ON an hrtiio BY Tho Hon. s. s. OR In me Lfsh
49, Democrat.
as politician, statesman, and orator
Mr.. Nallandigham is we'll known. IL is
not so well known that he has mover failed
to cultivate the classics of his youth lie
was one of the very few who had pursued
q critical and careful scholarly life amidst
the anxietics, bunetings, and noise of pub
lie and professional occupation. Virgil
and Homer were us familiar TO him as
Burke and Webster. His speeches show
much of the labor timp. lie wrote,
patched, pasted, and proved over and over
again his most elaborate speeches but he
was equally at home in impromptu orato-
nv. His great speech, as 1t is called, on Sc
cession, was altogether the most carefully
prepared speech made during the war.
But his speech on the conscription bill,
which was masterly effort, was the
fire from n mitrailleuse, off-hand.
1t was my privilege 10 hear him speak
the speech at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, for which
Mr.. Lincoln sent him into exile south
was the witness before Gen. Burnside's
iudicious and judicial court-martial, and
testified that the speech of Vallandgham,
as reported by the Provost, in respect
to the conscription bill-its trans
ltion from the French law,
ctc.-was not made by him. 1t was my own
speech, spoken from the same stand.
never understood that conviction for those
words spoken by another. The court in
compliment TO myself formally accepted
my statement as absolute verify, and yet
convicted him.
Differing from him in many ways, still
maintained the right of free speech, in our
native state, when the courts were open
and where there was no war fragrant 1t
was this sentiment which led the eloquent
Geo. l.. Pugh, ex-senator Of Ohio, to take
upon himself the nomination for lieuten-
ant governor. He did it to vindicate
principal against force. "Order No. g."
which the democracy spat upon, was to US
the most odious, and is yet to me tho most
contemplate exercise Of military inso-
lence known to history. do not except
any past war legislation.
Mr.. Vallandigham failed in his cand:-
dacy for the governorship. There was a
fearful timidty in the public mind. 1t
was almost cowardly and contemplate.
1t would not even hear the champion Of
half the people Of n gallant state.
What gives TO Mr.. Vallandigham's
death peculiarly present interest is the
new departure, which he engineered with
so much skill and audacity. Coming
from him, it was momentous movement
Coming from judge Ranney, or senator
Thurman, or some other Ohio leaders OF
Democratic opinion, it would havs been OF
little notoriety, though perhaps more ef.
fectual. His death gives rise TO many
onjectures as to the fate Of the depart
ure.n In my judgment it is already &C.
complished. What will be its effect or
the durable relations of parties from thi;
time until the fall of 1872, do not pre-
tend to prophecy; but it is sure that its
most earnest and from his peculiar stand
point most effective apostle has been los
by the untimely dcmi.o of Mr.. Vallandig
ham.
1t would be most grateful il | could enc
this chapter by some apt words touching
the social, genial, and personal qualities o
my friend.
On Friday morning, coming out of my
home in this city, the carrier gave me
letter. 1t was from Mr. Valiandigham
had written him few days before few
words: What next p referring to hi
advance in the political path His lettel
was brief.
"Dear s.: The dry bones IRE rat
Ting. y. d. is hard to shake up; but IA,
will be shaken. Our friends manning Ger
tam newspaper gentlemcn) have carries il
their bones; but after awhile they, too
will rattle. The movement will succeed
l am in the Mcclellan case, and all full c
murder just now"
Reading this hilarious, happy letter,
met my friend Dr. Thomas, who gave IN
: the news Of the fatal pistol!