William left for Morgan county early this morning, going up the Muskingum. This stumping is to him a very great trial, uncheered by the prospect of final success. No effort possible is left unused by the Democrats to defeat him; secret organizations holding meetings at night, public meetings, lies uttered, and printed in the Marietta Republican, and threats and intimidations to ignorant men to keep them from voting the Republican ticket. Everything is resorted to that can be done to defeat the Government in this district.
[Ten lines of Julia's journal have been smudged out and are unreadable.]
William says "the great lesson of life is not success, but submission" he says "he finds the great mass of the volunteers are Republicans and about ten thousand volunteers have gone from this Congressional district. In Rutland, Meigs Co., out of 200 volunteers not more than three Democrats. In Lee, Athens Co., of 100 not half a dozen were Democrats. He says with these facts before him, he sees no chance of success and he has given the thing up." God sees the end from the beginning. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him --
Theodore Greenwood is dead.
Peggy's comments:
Today's journal entry is particularly notable. Julia reveals brother William's distaste for the stumping he must do in an effort to be re-elected to Congress. Her comments about politics seem very timely!
Parts of Julia's journals have been erased or crossed out. It's difficult to know who did this but it is likely that it was one of the family who had access to the journals after Julia's death.
The quote from William is also of interest. Many soldiers would have voted for Republicans had they been able to cast their ballots. Another timely issue!
And finally, her comment about Theodore Greenwood is so very brief. It's almost as if death had become so commonplace that no elaboration was needed to convey sorrow.
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