Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-06-10
CLERK VALLANDIGHAM.
He C0mes Back at the Senators Who
Charge Him with Selling
Them Out.

Commercial Gazette. Reviewing wha
| he did for the party in January, he says
mo man could have done more;" being
present in their caucuses and admitted
to their councils, 81 made their cause my
cause" He then adds:
"The claim that l should have entered
upon the journal the fact that there wa:
no quorum present or that eventful Sat
urday, is absurd; and if carried eut
through the session (as Senators wei
know) would invalidate the proceedings
of every tri-weekly adjournment
"The oath of office was administered
to the contestants from Hamilton coun'
ty. They became de factu Senators. 1t
was not in the discretion of the Clerk to
say whether or not they were de jure
Senators, for the simple reason that be
is an officer, not memper of the Senate
As de facto Senators, their names were
placed upon the roll and called. Right
here let me say that think it would be
more satisfactory to the Democrats of
Ohio if their representatives in the State
Senate would speedily endeavor to ascer-
tain, by submission to competent trib
unal, whether the Republican Senators
fr9m Hamilton county are or are not de
jure Senators, instead of heaping abuse,
under the leadership of Allen o. Myers,
upon the head of man who has done
his simple duty, and who had Democrat
ic blood in his veins when he was born
by the swearing into office of the
four contestants from Hamilton county
a de facto quorum was obtained. Of
that fact the Clerk, no matter what may
have been his ideas upon the subject,
was bound to take cognizance. The
journal of May was read and approved.
1t was the duty of the Clerk to attest it.
If had refused in the discharge of my
duty to do so, would have been remev-
ed at once, and would have been COM
PEELED to do it by proceedings in man
damus. The Democratic party would
have been no better off, and L would
have landed just where the power of the
courts of Ohio, both Democratic and
Republican, landed my genial friend,
Dan Dalton.
Now, word as to the stolen journal.
Fanlt is found with me for making an
other oDe l could have-would have
done nothing else. Had l not supplied
its place promptly and to the best of my
knowledge, the imputation would have
rested upon me all my life that had
been party to the theft of public doc
ument, of which was, by law, the GUS
todian. Such an imputation could not
would not-perpit. Nor do sanction
the stealing or destruction of public
document, for the bensit-supposed or
real-of any political party. No matter
by whom it was stolen, the theft was a
disgrace to the State of Ohio.
"The silly statement of Senator Kueh-
merit, that seemed to be under the in.
fluence of Senator Conrad and other Re>
publicans is hardly worthy of notice.
except that it enables me to say that in
the discharge of my official duties l
have made no distinction on account of
politics.
"a short time ago person deputiZed
for that purpose came to Columbus to
ascertain whether or not l would call
the names of the four Democrats Sena-
tors from Hamilton county in the event
that the Democrats returned to COlum-
bus in body. unhesitatingly told him
that conscientiously believed that the
Clerk was not vested with authority so
to do--the four Republican contestants
having been sworn in and being de facto
Senators. This, by the way, was the
first recognition L had received Demo-
cratically since January.
"The statement from whatever source
it may come, that l entered into an
agreement, or made any bargain with
the Republicans of the Senate, in order
to retain my position, brand as an in
famous falseheod. On the contrary, l
repeatedly stated that whilst would do
my duty as sworn officer of the Senate,
1 would be none the less a Democrat.
Lieutenant Governor Kennedy said that
it was not expected that Democratic Of
icers would abate one jot or little of
their allegiance to the cause of Democ-
racy, but that they would be expected to
do their duty-nothing less, and nothing
more.
"Whilst l regret that 1 have been mis-
represented in this matter, | am con-
scious that during the whole trouble
did what it was my duty to do; there+
fore, the carping criticism which always
follows the discharge of official duty in
trying times, falls harmless upon me.
When satisfied myself that am right,
unjust accusations do not trouble me.
Nor do intend that the battle of twen-
ty men shall be fought over the shoulder
of one man; the failure of success by the
sworn representatives of the Democratic
party in the Senate of Ohio shall not be
placed upon u man whom they abandon
ed and ignored before they left the city
of Columbus.
For what l have done, politically, l
am answersble to the Democratic SeDa-
tors, and to the people they represent,
not to political outcast-repueiated by
nearly fifteen hundred majority in a
strongly Democratic countrywide, being
unable to obtain recognition from Ret
publicans, affiliates with the Democratic
party solely for the purpose of making
discord and trouble in the Democratic
ranks. l am sorry indeed that | have
incurred the ill-will of certain Demo-
cratic Senators because l have done that
which considered it my duty to do. for
no matter how they may feel toward
nae. l still have for them the very kind
est regard.
"In whatever position in life may be
II n -