Year: 1876

!


ocratic mud machine, chiefly because


he happens to stand at the head OF


the Republican ticket. If he is per
sonally offensive to the machine it is


because be is personally too worthy
and decent man to suit the taste of
his slanderers. The fact that he is 9
gentleman of high intelligence, a cit
izen of blameless character, and
soldier of honorable record, is
enough, of course, to excite the envy
of the corner grocery Democratic or
gans, and arouse their low ambition
to bespatter him with filth. It is
only necessary that thepeopleof Ohio
should fully understand who Colonel
Barnes is, and what he is, to eompre-
hend the inner motives for the fusil-
ade of dirty water which is being
squirted at him.


His principal crime seems to be
that he is too decent a man to suit
the Democratic singers. He is tenn
perate, sober and industrious, and
these honorable traits are made the
groundwork for the bulk of the abuse
that is heaped upon him. The plain
Inference is that the vilifers Of Col
onel Barnes want a Secretary of
State who is Incorporate and profit
gate, and such being their prefer
ence, they must of course look else
where for a candidate to their liking.
They strangely presume upon the
good sense of the people of Ohio,
however when they assume that the
characteristics of street loaferdom
are the preferred qualifications for
public trust. Public sentiment in
Ohio is not in such a demoralized
condition yet as to debar a man from
public responsibilities because he
has habit of keeping sober, and at
tending diligently to his duties. Il
such ,cere the case, of course the
Democracy could be relied on to fur
nish the kind of timber with which
the mud d-slingers and loafers would
like to fill all the offices, and all de-
cent men would be obliged to with
draw their attention from politics.


Another thing that draws the fire
of the Democratic mud-machine
is the fact that Colonel Barnes was
brave and faithful soldier, and per-
formed brilliant part in helping to
auell Democratic insurreetion. The
outbreak of the rebellion found him
going to the front as private in an
Ohio regiment, and at the end Of it
found him q Colonel commanding
one. Excepting brief periods when
disabled by wounds or severe sick
ness, he was in the field continuous
ly, and his promotions were earned
by faithful and gallant services. He
shared in nearly all the great battles
of the Army of the Cumberland, con-
cluding with the desperate but victo-
rious fight before Nashville. In
Thomas's grand assault on Mission
Ridge he led his regiment, and had
a horse shot from under him. His
command was part of the line which
swept over the Ridge near Braggs
headquarters, driving the rebels pell-
nell before it. In the assault on Ken
esaw Mountain Col. Barnes was Sc
verely wounded by a fragment Of
shell. In the battle before Nash
vile he was again severely wounded.
During Rosecrans' grand advance in
to Northern Georgia the brigade Of
which Colonel Barnes's regiment
formed part was the first to occupy
Chattanooga. For his gallantry in
the Kenesaw Mountain fighting he
was promoted, on the recommenda-
ton of his superior officer.


Such is the man whose good name
the Democratic mud-machines are
trying to befoul by volleys Of dirty
lies and inventions, without shadow
or foundations or pretext, by saying,
for instance, that he did things as a
member of the Legislature, whereas
he 7eecer qcas a member of the Leg
islature; that he took prominent
part in meetings that he did not at
tend; that he signed petitions that he
never did sign or even see, and chal-
lenge any man to produce :; that be
was an active participant in move
ments that he had nothing to do with,
and so on for quantity. 1t is not
necessary to undertake any detail an
swers to these falsehoods. Strangle
one, and two more, equally mean
and malicious, will spring up In its
place. 1t dignifes such lies to even
mention them, and they cannot IN
lure Col. Barnes in the estimation
of any candid or intelligent citizen.
The soldiers of Ohio will stand by
their comrade with all the more f.


deity for his being wantonly lied
about, more especially so when the
lies are retailed by men whose mouths
are still foul with epithets heaped
upon soldiers generally. And the
people of Ohio will stand by the SOL
diers. assured that if Colonel Barnes
shall be elected Secretary of State he