The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-03
c. [. VALLAND bingham,
A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. During
the War.
BRILLIANT ATTlINNENTS--- TRAGIC DEATH
The Bcte-Noir Of the Lincoln Cabinct--IIis
Personal Maguetism-Io He Died.
Nritten for TIE COY rrrurlon.

Hriuen for THE Con rlTUTioH.
About two years ago had occasion to visit
the home fmy birth and boyhood-the beauti-
full city Of Dayton, Ohio. Situated as it is in the
heart of the fertile Miami valley, surrounded
by some Of the finest farming lands and most
picturesque scenery 10 be found anywhere, it
| is indeed place whore the memory Of a self
! constituted exile longs to dwell. But il is not
OF tho beauty and richness of the city and its
| environs that ! sat down to write this article.
While stroling about the city, one balmy
| day in June, just two years ago, l entered
| the romantic and lovely city of the dead,
known as Woodland cemetery, an ideal resting
place for the mortal remains Of loved
ones. Nature left but little for art to do in
making this a giandly beautiful place, Tricky
| studded with trees, the ground a succession Of
| vcrlure-clad hills and miniature valleys with
millions Of fresh spring flowers to relieve the
| monotonous veivety green, Woodland GENE
! tery is known and praised far and wide.
Nearly In the center Of the cemetery, on TIE
western side of gentle ACTIVITY, facing the
west In position whore the last rays OF the
| sottiug san throw halo OF golden glory over
| them, nesting beneath three pretty, graceful,
weeping willows, while few yards distant
| etands a majestic elm rs If on sentinel duty,
nre two graves, side by side The modest head
stone tells the simple story that these window
| less houses contain all that is mortal Of Glenn
| cut L. YalGndigham and his wife. But boz
| meath these s0mbre surroundings there lies
| tragedy which the recent nomination of Hon.
| Allen G. Thurman, by the democratic party,
| for the otheo Of Yce-presdent, has brought
! afrc9h 70 my mind, and which l believe will
| prove of interest as reminiscence OF that
| awful period covered by the bloody war be-
| tween the states
Few men of middle age, or even of early
manhood are living who can not recall
the namo of Cloment j.. Vallandigham. lie
| . asfp no IA
during the stormy period of the war. He was
an outspokon, chivalrous, brilliant secession
democrat. AS soon as the war broke out his
position was clearly, openly and dehantly an
nounccd lie was an ayowed champion Of the
right OF state to secede. lie was an ever
present thorn in the side of the Lincoln ad-
minstratiol. lie was tho most brilliant
and popular orator ever knew.
l remember, as n boy, frequent
barbocues in tho small towns around Dayton,
where the simple announcement that Vallan-
dighaih would speak was sufficient to draw
thousands Of people on short notice, and his
voice soon drowned the appeals OF the recruit
| ing appearance and was possessed of mag
netic voice and dramatic manner He was
| constantly Swallowed by spies, and it is 10
| wonder that he was not ~ fret arrested for
| treason. But il Is possible that the authorities
| thought him too deeply enthroned in the
| hearts of the people TO interfere with him.
| But soon the drafts OF the recruiting officers
| became so exorbitant, and the cries Of those
/ widowed and orphaned by "gfim-visaged war"
| became so loud and heattbroken that the
| effect was observable In sullen and logged
| determination on the part OF many to openly
| resist consumption. The FIRST flush of patriot
| ism had died ont, and men and women began
| TO realize what horrible and bloody reality
| war was. Then IL WINS that the teachings of
the eloquent Vallnndigham were found to be
| exceedingly dangerous, aud the president and
| cabinet decided 10 silence him.
| la la rf -
forces at Cincinnati, which is sixty miles south
| Of Dayton. The latter place was, at that
| time, the hotbed OF northern secession. FIRE.
| quent bloody encounters had occurred, and the
| city was often put under martial law. One
| night about 10 o'clock, without any warning
| whatever, train consisting of locomotive
| and two passenger coaches arrived from Gin
| oinnati over the Cincinnati, Hamilton and
| Dayton railroad and came to a standstill ON
| tho outskirts of the city. Immediately a COM
| pany of United States infantry got off, were
| formed in line of march, and, after being
warned to preserve tho utmost silence, tho
command "Doubiosq uick-marchl" rang out
| on the still night air. by the shortest
route these men proceeded to the resi-.
Deuce Of Mr., Nallandigham, on Second
street. On account OF the lateness of tho hour
and the CELEBRITY of their movements, the news
| of the presence of the military did not spread
rapidly, They battered down the street door,
and ten Of them ran to the sleeping room of
bIr. and Mrs Vallandigham and raped loudly
on the door. A quick order was given to him
to arise and dress or they would without cere-
mony, break down the bedroom door.
While Mr.. Valandigham was dressing, his
| wife stepped to tho window and unloaded the
| six chambers Of u revolver on the now almost
| midnight air This was understood to DO a
| preconCorted signal 10 the citizens that her
! husband was in danger, The soldiers UNDER
! stood 1t, too, and without more ado they broke
| down The bedroom door, seized
the halfdressed man and hurried with him to
the sidewalk, leaving his limiting wife lying
| prone upon the floor. No time was lost III
| again forming IN line and marching in double
| quick order back to the train, which was watt
ing under fun head Of steam.
In " moment more the engineer pulled the
| throttle, and away sped the captorS and cap
| tive. From the time when the train stopped
| till Y started again not moro than an hour i'm
| terycned, but the signal had been heard and
| hoedcd, ana scarcely was tho train out of sight
| whom almost thousand angry, armed
and well drilled men were ON the spot. They
came 70 rescue Nallandigham, and had they
| arrived hyo minutes sooner there would have
been n bloody riot
| Nallaudighuul was sent from Cincinnati to
the front, exchanged iura the confodcracy and
went 10 Canada. But he soon returned, moro
defiant aud better loved, and of course more
dangerous, than he was before. lilo ram for
governor of Ohio on the democratic ticket in
1868, and was heaten by John {. Brough
by between 10000 and 200,G0O ma iority. IL is
said that the whole army If the Tennessee
were allowed 20 vote in their camps, If
they saw tit 70 vote for Brough.
After Lees surrender Vallandigham was
looked upon as tlP leader OF the secession
wing of the democratic party. and Judge
Thurman was the leader of the war democracy
80 i. O., democrats who believed the wax ne
CeSsity, aud that the doctrine of secession was
a heresy. In lSds Mr.. Thurman was nomi-
mated fGr governor Of Ohio, There was little
chance OF his election without the hearty CO.
operation Of tho other wing OF the party. lie
was RIGA Nallandiugham was poor. Ho called
upon The latter and asked him to
stump tho state for him. Mr..
Nollandigham promised TO do so. provided
Mr.. Thurman would not stand IN his way fol
the United States senate il n democratic iegis-
iatUro We're elected. MIR. Nnllaudigham told
me several umes that this promise was given
lie then went 20 work ana wcr> ed with will
for the success Of the democratic party. The
election came of and Mr. Thurman was de
featel, though there was democratic lcgisla
turn elected. When the hallotius for United
States senator began Nh Thurman appeared
as an aspirant fer the Office, and after days OF
caucusing Mr.. Thurman WAS chosen.
/ Mr.. Nu'laudigAam ever aftciward accused
Mr.. Thurman Of violating has pledge. lis