The Daily Empire

The Journal assails WILLIAM PATTON, the Democratic candidate for Sheriff. Captain PATTON, like many other Democrats, entered the military service during the late rebellion. He served two years with fidelity and honor. He was severely wounded at the battle of Stone River. He was not following the army as a pen puffer at a big salary and with the privilege of retiring beyond the lines of danger at the approach of battle—but was with his company and his regiment, where privation was to be suffered, and danger and death to be encountered. When disabled by an honorable wound—and only then, he left the field.

One would suppose that such a record would not be regarded at least as conspicuously offensive? by those who seemed so desirous to have all the citizens of the North, without distinction of parties, united in the prosecution of the war. One would suppose that the editor of the Journal, one so conspicuously loyal as he, would be willing at least to admit that a man who was born a Democrat, and was identified with the Democratic party, ought to have some credit for acting upon his own honest convictions, and having a young family to risk his life in the country's service. But Mr. PATTON has seen fit to adhere to the Democratic party—and is opposed to the radicalism of which the Journal is an exponent. Hence the editor of that paper resorts to all sorts of contemptible means to belittle him in the public estimation, to traduce and to villify him. The expedient of spelling his name without capital letters, is worthy of the mean and small spirit that prompts this contemptible persecution. The editor of the Journal can rest assured, that WILLIAM PATTON is too well known in this community to be run out of it by any interloper who has cast his lot, here to build up his fortunes by aggravating personal animosities and political asperities, and who seems only satisfied when he can abuse better men than himself.