"Swingin round the cirkle" : $b His ideas of men, politics, and things, as set forth in his letters to the public press, during the year 1866.
John Locke · en
Wuz convinst the Burow wuz agin the prosperity uv the State, and wuz
underminin the moral and physikle welfare uv the nigger. It made him
impudent. Hed sum uv em workin for him, and notist at noons and nites
he'd find em with a spellin-book and a reader. Didn't bleeve in readin.
Coodent read hisself, but hed a cousin wunst who learned; but ez soon ez
he cood read he moved off to Injeanny, quit the Democrisy, and becum a
loathsum Ablishnist. Heerd he wuz killed in the war, and served him
rite. Wanted to know what we wood do when the niggers cood all read.
Sposed we'd hev to 'lect em to offis, ez the people alluz selected sich,
when they cood find em. Didn't bleeve in nigger equality, and wuz in
favor uv a imediate change in the post orfice at the Corners.
CAPTIN MCSLATHER thought things hed cum to a sweet old pass, when a man
coodn't lather a nigger without bein hauled up afore a Burow.
KURNEL PELTER thought ef yoor Eggsolency cood witness the corupshun that
eggsisted in the Burow, yoo'd make short work uv it. Why, he whipped a
nigger hand more than he ought, perhaps, and he died uv the injuries. It
wuz a aggravatin case. The nigger wuz sassy, and it cost three hundred
and sixteen dollars to pervide for his family. That infamous Burow made
me pay for their rashens all winter. He asked, indignantly, ef this wuz
or wuz not a free kentry into, wich such things wuz permitted. And the
Ablishen Postmaster at the Corners approved the tyranikle action. He
demanded his removal.
I conceive it to be onnecessary to submit further testimony. I know not
what luck yoor other commissioners may hev met with in takin testimony
on this subjick; but in this vicinity there can't be no doubt that there
can't be that love for the Government, without wich free instooshens
won't flourish to any alarmin extent, ontil this monster is squelched.
The testimony is unanimous, and them ez I hev eggsamined are
representative men.
You may hev notist, also, the singler unanimity with wich they all bore
testimony to the necessity uv a change in the Post Orifis at the
Corners. I endorse all they say on this question, considerin that that
change is ez necessary in the grate work uv pacifyin and consiliation ez
is the removal of the Burow. In case a change is made, I would say, for
your guidance, that I hev been warmly solicited by my friends to accept
the position, and to pacify em, hev at last yielded a reluctant consent.
The fact that I never served in the Confederate army may be an
objection; but, to offset that, I voted for Vallandygum twice.
Ef possible, send me a pardon at the same time yoo send me my commission
ez Post Master; for, if the Post Offis don't pay, I may want to run for
some other office, in wich event that document would be essential to my
success.
With sentiments uv the most profound respek,