Clement Vallandigham | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 3rd district |
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In office May 25, 1858 – March 3, 1863 |
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Preceded by | Lewis D. Campbell |
Succeeded by | Robert C. Schenck |
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the Columbiana County district |
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In office December 1, 1845 – December 5, 1847 Serving with Joseph F. Williams |
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Preceded by | Robert Filson |
Succeeded by | James Patton Joseph F. Williams |
Personal details | |
Born |
Clement Laird Vallandigham July 29, 1820 New Lisbon, Ohio |
Died | June 17, 1871 Lebanon, Ohio |
(aged 57)
Resting place | Woodland Cemetery |
Political party | Democratic |
Alma mater | Jefferson College |
Clement Laird Vallandigham (pronunciation: /vəˈlændᵻɡəm/; July 29, 1820 – June 17, 1871) was an Ohio politician and leader of the Copperhead faction of anti-war Democrats during the American Civil War. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives. In 1863 he was convicted at an Army court martial of opposing the war, and exiled to the Confederacy. He ran for governor of Ohio in 1863 from exile in Canada, but was defeated.
Clement Laird Vallandigham was born July 29, 1820 in New Lisbon, Ohio (now Lisbon, Ohio), to Clement and Rebecca Laird Vallandigham. His father, a Presbyterian minister, educated young Clement at home.
Vallandigham had a dispute with the college president and was honorably dismissed in 1841 from Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He never received a diploma.
Edwin M. Stanton, the future Secretary of War under President Lincoln, and Vallandigham were close friends before the Civil War. Stanton lent Vallandigham $500 for a course and to begin a law practice. Both Vallandigham and Stanton were Democrats, but had opposing views of slavery.
Shortly after beginning to practice law in Dayton, Vallandigham entered politics. He was elected as a Democrat to the Ohio legislature in 1845 and 1846, and served as editor of a weekly newspaper, the Dayton Empire, from 1847 until 1849.