Clement L. Vallandigham
Early Years
Clement L. Vallandigham was born in New Lisbon, Ohio on July 29, 1820. He bounced around in his education, going to Jefferson College in 1837 before becoming a private school teacher in Maryland in 1838. He returned to Jefferson College in 1840, but left to study law and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1842. Vallandigham’s career in politics began in 1845, when he served one term in the Ohio state legislature. He became the editor of a Democratic newspaper before running for the Democratic nomination as Ohio lieutenant governor (which he lost) and running against Lewis Campbell for a seat in the House of Representative in 1852, 1854, 1856, and 1858, of which he won the 1856 and 1858 elections. He ran again in 1860 before being defeated by a Republican in 1862. However, the story for which Clement L. Vallandigham is remembered begins in the years leading up to the start of the Civil War.
During the Civil War
Vallandigham was well-known as Ohio’s leading Peace Democrat (or Copperhead), as well as one of Lincoln’s strongest criticizers and a firm opponent to war. Rather than use force to preserve the Union, Vallandigham believed that the South should have been allowed to secede without resistance. In April of 1863, Union General Ambrose Burnside issued General Order No. 38, which was intended to frighten Confederate sympathizers and stated that any traitors to the Union would be sent into Confederate lines or even be killed. This caused outrage amongst the Peace Democrats in general, as it was seen to violate many civil rights and freedoms, but Vallandigham was a particularly vehement opponent of the act. On May 1, 1863, a Democratic rally took place on Mount Vernon, Ohio, which Vallandigham greatly contributed toward organizing. The main point of the rally was to denounce General Order No. 38. Some of the Copperheads that gave speeches to show opposition included George Pendleton, Samuel Cox, and Clement Vallandigham. Unfortunately, two officers under General Burnside had been present at the rally, and having heard everything Vallandigham had said about Burnside and Lincoln, Vallandigham was arrested for the violation of General Order No. 38 on May 5, 1863. Vallandigham’s case was heard by a military tribunal in Cincinnati, and despite his protests, he was sentenced to spend the rest of the war in prison. However, Vallandigham got his attorney to appeal to a federal court, but the judge remained steady in that Vallandigham would be jailed. President Lincoln, fearful that Peace Democrats across the country would band together behind Vallandigham to protest his imprisonment, ordered Vallandigham to be exiled to the Confederacy, and his orders were carried out by General Burnside on May 25, 1863. Following is an excerpt from his "address to the people of Ohio upon his going into exile", given from a military prison in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 22, 1863.* "Banished from my native state for no crime save Democratic opinions and free speech to you in their defence . . . by the compulsion of an arbitrary and tyrannic power . . . Because despotism and superior force so will it, I go within the Confederate lines . . . " Despite his exile into Confederate lines, Vallandigham only stayed in the South for a few weeks before travelling to Canada. In June 1863, he won the Democratic nomination for Ohio’s governor, and members of the party also demanded that Lincoln let Vallandigham return to America. Lincoln agreed to do so if Vallandigham would swear his allegiance to the Union cause, but he refused, and returned to the U.S. in 1864 without being arrested for his disobeyment of the military court’s order. In February 1864, Vallandigham was elected as the supreme commander of the Sons of Liberty, which was a group that consisted of many Copperheads and opposed the Union war cause. The Sons of Liberty opposed draft laws, and wanted an end to the Civil War. Throughout his time involved in the Civil War, Vallandigham made sure there was always a way for him to fight against the war and cause trouble for the Union war effort. *to view other speeches given by Vallandigham, go to this link. |
General Ambrose Burnside
Political cartoon from Harper's Weekly concerning the controversial viewpoints on Vallandigham's campaign for governor of Ohio
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FUN FACTS!!!
Did you know that . . .
- Clement L. Vallandigham died by accidentally shooting himself? That's right! During the later years of his life, he returned to practicing law. At one trial, he was acting out a murder. Thinking the gun was unloaded, he pointed it at himself and then pulled the trigger, which wasn't a very good decision. Vallandigham was mortally wounded and died soon after. Turns out that gun was loaded after all!
- Clement L. Vallandigham died by accidentally shooting himself? That's right! During the later years of his life, he returned to practicing law. At one trial, he was acting out a murder. Thinking the gun was unloaded, he pointed it at himself and then pulled the trigger, which wasn't a very good decision. Vallandigham was mortally wounded and died soon after. Turns out that gun was loaded after all!