11 November 1896 Letter from James Monroe Smith to Eva Slaton Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 11/2006 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Materials from the Personal Collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. Transcribed and submitted by Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. ================================================================================= 11 November 1896 Letter from James Monroe Smith to Eva Slaton Smith became the Union Parish Clerk of Court in 1879 and served until 1900, when he resigned to serve as a Louisiana State Senator. Smith had courted Slaton prior to his marriage to May Olive Kidd in 1885, but May had died in February 1895. Smith and Slaton married in January 1898. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== James M. Smith Sr. to Eva Slaton - Addressed c/o A. C. F. College Tuskegee, AL My Own, Sweet, Precious Little Girl, Your dear sweet little letter came promptly Saturday evening and as you well know dearest, nothing delights and pleases me so well as to get a letter from my angel girl, except it be to be in her magnetic presence, look upon that sweet face and exchange words of love. I count the days, yes hours and almost moments from the time I think my letter reaches you, until I receive a reply from my sweet little darling. You have been so good to write me as promptly as you have, but if you judge appreciation by promptness to respond (which you are bound to admit is the best evidence) I think you will have to accord me the greater. Don't you think so? I have waited a day or two longer this time than usual, but not longer than you usually do, because of the election being on hand. I have been so much interested in the election & so badly torn up over Bryan's probable defeat, I have been almost "non compels mentis" & haven't fully recovered yet. But during my lucid moments my thoughts are always of the sweetest woman on Earth, Dearest, I am as blue and disappointed as can be over Bryan's probable defeat. I truly believe this campaign to be the cleanest cut fight between the masses against the classes, patriotism against plutocracy and struggle for political liberty and justice as designed by the signers of "The Declaration of Independence" as against class legislation corporate wealth and greed and the centralization of the wealth of the country in the hands of the few by unholy and corrupt legislation to the great detriment and oppression of the toiling millions that ever was fought in this country. If Bryan is elected I feel that the people will have an honest man and patriot for President and it will in effect be a renewal of "The Declaration of Indepen-dence" and a bright future awaits our Republic but if not in all seriousness, I believe McKinley's election is a great stride toward final resolution and possibly the overthrow of our Republic like the fall of Rome in all of her boasted glory and splendor. I am no alarmist & this result may not come to pass during our day, but just so sure as night follows day, so sure in my opinion will this be the result in the course of time, if the few who with their millions of money and corporate power are not prevented from dictating the policy of the Government in their own interest to the financial ruin and impoverishment of the masses. If McKinley is elected & there is very little doubt, it is done by the concentrated use of the money power and by coercing their employees and laborers to vote as they dictate. He will be the tool of the influence that elected him to do their bidding & "as clay in the hands of the potter" & I can't believe any good results will come to the masses from his administration. We have been receiving telegrams yesterday & today first favorable to McKinley and then to Bryan alternating all along and tonight McKinley's election is conceded beyond doubt. This being a fact I feel like the toiling masses under his administration, as far as hoping for beneficial legislation that would tend to relieve their oppressed condition, are almost as helpless as was Prometheus chained to the rock, while vultures tore at his vitals & sapped his life-blood. I hope I am mistaken and that this the greatest political battle ever fought in this Gov. between patriotism, liberty and justice on one side and concentrated money, power and corporate greed on the other, will be a sufficient warning & that things may change for the better, but I fear not. Dearest, you must pardon me for being so diffuse & extended in my remarks on the political outlook, for I had no idea of saying so much when I mentioned this subject & fear it will not be so interesting to you as to me. I have been so absorbed with the election lately and so disappointed with the result I can hardly think of anything else except of course, I always think of my sweet, precious little darling. If there is one more than all others that I can open my heart to and give full expression to my feelings on all matters, I feel that it is to my sweet, angel girl. Dearest, I am truly sorry that my associations with my little girl has partially destroyed (?) her once retentive memory and caused her to become "cranky", so much so, that she may at her concert tomorrow night make a dismal failure and loose her well earned reputation from long years of labor and retire "un-honored and unsung" and all too on account of my "unthoughtfullness" in "cramming" your head so full of trash & foolishness. But I know my sweet girl will forgive me when she considers the spirit in which it was done, believing that I didn't intend for it to have a "cranky" effect, knowing her to be very strong-minded. I know my sweet girl's concert will be a grand success and only wish I could be there and enjoy it. I might have gone had you given me an invitation, but as I am very sensitive could not go under any circumstances without one. I suppose you just forgot & that being the case will excuse you as you charge me with being the cause of your defective memory any way. Dearest it does seem so long before I may have the greatest pleasure of seeing my precious little girl again. Days seem weeks and weeks months since I last pressed that little hand in mine and took a last look into those loving eyes & at that sweet face and spoke those sweet-sad words- goodbye to the dearest sweetest and loveliest woman on this mundane sphere. I just don't see how I can wait so long to see my precious little girl. If I had you with me darling I feel that life would be almost a new thing to me. That is all I lack of being a happy man. I hope you can ar-range so we can marry as soon as possible in the Spring, for I want my little angel with me as soon as possible. Darling, I am sorry I didn't think to write you that my throat was no worse but somewhat better than when you left, but didn't think of it until after my letter had gone. I then feared it would make you uneasy, which no doubt it did from the way you wrote & it worried me being so thoughtless. Now I don't want you to be in the least uneasy about me for I don't think my throat trouble is in the least of a serious nature & I think can be readily cured. My general health is perfect. I think I will soon go to Hot Springs & have Dr. A. J. Short who is a specialist on throat diseases to treat me. I have been corresponding with him & he thinks he can effect a cure in 4 to 6 weeks. He cured Mr. Hargrove of Shreveport who had a very severe case & also Mr. Drew. Mr. Hargrove had partially lost his voice & healing & his general health broken down & he is fully restored to health. Hargrove has great confidence in Dr. Short & advises me to be certain & have him treat me. I prefer to go to him knowing he has cured some one I know. Alice & Florence have spending a while with us and we enjoyed their stay very much. They returned to their homes the first of the week. Yes dearest, I think you fared exceedingly well with LaGrippe, you didn't look like one who had undergone such a trying ordeal. I frequently look at that sweet picture of my sweet girl & only wish I had her with me & I would be supremely happy. Now darling don't wait a week after getting this to write me but write me a long sweet letter real soon as I am always so anxious to hear from you & enjoy your letters more than anything else. If I should leave for Hot Springs before getting your letter I will arrange before I leave for it to be forwarded to me. If I can arrange my business affairs I think I will go within the next week or ten days. I hope you won't delay writing so I will get it before I leave. With cords of love to my sweet little girl. As ever Yours Lovingly & Devotedly, J M S ##################################################################################