Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-07-28
from the woodsneld Spirit of Democracy
SALUTATORY.

4 SALSg
} Dear Reader: After three years seryicc
in the army, | have returned to resume
, my post as editor Of the Spirit
The approaching presidential campaign,
though less arduous than the campaign
, against the Rebels, is, TO the fullest extent
as important. The absolute ruin of the
J country IS as certain TO follow the election
of Lincoln, as it is TO follow the indepcnd
ence of the Confederacy. A divided coun.
try, bankrupted in credit and in honor; a
constitution outraged and condemned until
the lowest official may defy it with impuni.
ty; a nation, or rather half a nation dcspised
and ridculed by the the pettiest princi-
palitles OF Europe; people groaning under
great burdens of taxes, are events already
nearly consummated by the imbecility or vii
llany OF Lincoln administration Far less
than another four years will see completed
the riunous work now much more than half
done. The bones of thousands more, bet
ter men than Lincoln, will be left to bleach
on bloody battle fields; tens Of thousands
will be rendered helpless for life; scores of
thousands more of widows and orphans will
fill the land, and our whole country become
one great house Of mourning.
The consequence Of the reelection of
lincoln cannot be contemplated without a
shuddcr. Rapidly the prices of the neces-
saries OF life are rising beyond the reach of
! the poor widows, orphans and manned sol
dlels. Day by day hundreds, sometimes
thousands, are added to the long list of help
less men, and poor widows and orphans.
No matter where you may live, reader, a
few steps from your door will take you to
the sorrow-stricken homes of little orphans
IN whose future is many hungry, suffer
ing day. Ifyou meet a child you hardly
care to ask 1t for its father lest you be an
swered with gush Of tears, or q deep sob
from its little breaking heart.
In the name Of divided and almost
bankrupted country in the name of two
hundred thousand wooden limbs and emp
ty sleeves; i'll the name of untold thousands
of heroic dead; in the name of the orphan $
tears and the widows woe has not one cleo
tion of Lincoln cost us enough? Are sor-
row and starvation and wrechedncss so sweet
a sight that we would complete the ruin of
our country to multiply them? Have we
the eyes OF ghouls that we must have more
hecatombs of dead upon which to feast
them? Have we the hearts of fends that
we would double the misery of our fellow
beings in which to revel?
! Let every man with heart and con-
science ask himself if he wants four more
! VI SuNh ulcacNiouS yculs' TOuT more wears
of corruption and strife? Four more years
Of carnival for misery and death?
He is blind indeed who cannot see abso
lutte ruin broadly staring us in the face; and
he is to be pitied or despised who does not
see that with the reelection of Lincoln it
will fall upon us with crushing, overwhelm-
ing force
Like a vessel circling in thecurrent of the
maelstrom, our country has, during Lin
coin administration, been drawing nearer
and nearer to the whirlpool of destruction.
As we approach the fatal verge the CIRCLES
become smaller, and our speed more rapid
Knowing this, seeing it, are we insane that
we should set quietly while the pilot tells
obscene stories and allow us to drift to de-
truction?
If we make no effort to save our country
we deserve to have none Go to work,
then Democrats, patriots by every honora-
BILE means to rescue our sOilcd and torn con-
stitution from the hands of its violaters.
There is hope for our country if Lincoln is
defeated none without
JERE. WILLIAMS.