Why Isn’t Clement Vallandigham’s Face On Mt. Rushmore?

If you want to see any memorial of Clement Vallandigham you’ll have to travel to the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio to see his headstone.?He was installed there in 1871 after accidentally shooting himself in the stomach while demonstrating a defense strategy for his legal client Thomas McGehean, on trial for murder in a barroom brawl.

Prior to that, Vallandigham dedicated his life to fighting against the United States and in particular, laws that outlawed slavery. ?Believing that freed men would take jobs away from non slaves, he supported the KKK, subversive anti government groups and referred to President Lincoln as King Lincoln.

For over 20 years Vallandigham led divisive activities culminating as the leader of the Copperheads, a pro Confederacy firebrand group.?Summarily, he coined their slogan, “To maintain the constitution as it is, and restore the Union as it was.”?Endorsed by the Confederacy, the Copperhead’s notorious angry rhetoric credited them with inciting riots, lynchings and violence.

How did Vallandigham get a platform to broadcast his treasonous ways against the Union so that we know of him today??He was a democrat elected to the US House of Representatives from Ohio, serving from 1858 until 1863.

Abraham Lincoln became exasperated with Vallandigham who was one of his most outspoken critics, calling him a, “wily agitator.”?Lincoln cleverly had him arrested and extradited to Wilmington, NC on June 2, 1863 where Confederate President Jefferson Davis put him under guard as an “alien enemy.”

Historical documents paint Lincoln as a conflicted leader, often troubled by his detractors.?To them he lamented, “I do the very best I know how — the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”

I recently traveled to Mount Rushmore, where Lincoln is carved for eternity. ?Millions have traveled to see him there and into perpetuity Americans will commemorate his efforts to make America better.?Millions more travel to over 32 Lincoln memorials in the US including those in Washington DC, Illinois, Nebraska, California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and New York where his likeness graces countless buildings, colleges, schools, libraries, parks and trails. ?You can also find Lincoln in your desk and in your pocket where he’s on stamps, the penny and $5 bill.

What if Lincoln said, “Screw it, this has become a major headache, I’m done.”??Clearly, this is a perfect example of winning through persistence in the face of adversity.?Vallandigham is buried in obscurity in Ohio while Lincoln lives on everywhere.?Continuing to fight for a cause he believed in, Lincoln simply did not surrender.

Most business don’t fail, they run out of energy.?According to this Forbes article, 70% of businesses don’t see past a tenth birthday, with 20% failing in their first year and 50% by year five.?Forbes cites 8 reasons for business failure:?No vision, no niche, no business plan, no marketing plan, no action, no commitment to learning, no followup, no consistency. ?

These are the business detractors forming your personal Vallandigham.?Once acknowledged, it’s easy to understand how business owners become overwhelmed and stumble. Without solid business cornerstones, the door is thrown wide open for the winds of misery to sweep in and blow away essential energy.

Dedication, resilience and persistence are lethal to waning energy and become the hallmarks of thriving businesses.?Not one business has ever skipped along merrily, immune to trials and tests.?Those that don’t succumb become beacons for success.

When it comes to defining the influence of your critics, ponder these questions:

- Do I have a plan that’s deeper than simply turning a profit?

- How great is the grip of detractors on the steering wheel of my business?

- Are my principles upon which I act large enough to muffle critics?

I love the Zenness of, “what happens to us happens for us”.?Accepting this means we continually and willingly hone ourselves on the anvil of life. It’s entirely possible that Lincoln’s success was elevated in dealing with detractors like Vallandigham.?Lincoln’s legacy is littered with anecdotes about him pin balling from one struggle to another, continually sharpening his game.?He did not let his critics derail his plans nor dethrone his concentration on the promised land.?Becoming energized instead of defeated by conflict is challenging but through that lens the light at the end of the tunnel burns brighter.

Are what you have your sights set on significant enough to weather your detractors?