Halifax County, VA - Letter: Wm. L. Owen to Cousin Irv. Submitted for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Wayne Johnson *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************** Black Walnut Va 22nd April 1868 My Dear Cousin Irv., On my arrival at home a few days since from Richmond where I had been vainly trying to help make a Constitution under which we could live, at least for a time, I found your letter of the 4th of March. I now enclose a draft on Lancaster +6§ of Richmond Bank, its for the sum you desire say two hundred dollars which I hope will reach you in due course of mail. I think you act wisely in returning to Mo. and spending the short remainder of your life with your sister, where you may be useful to some extent to them and have their sympathy and care in your old age. This leaves us all in usual bodily health, but we are all very much broken in spirit. Our political condition is very pitiable and our pecuniary condition is no better. Three fourths of our people are ******** and our future prospects for a considerable time is very gloomy. The Col! people who have been enfranchised and who constitute nearly half of our population and with a small party of adventurers from the North and a few cow native whites now control the State. Show an unmistakable purpose to hold permanently all the offices in the state and to admin- ister the government in the interests of their party & especially of the Negro and to the oppression of the whites. The Negros are bent upon social equality in our schools & colleges & every where and nearly all whites are disfranchised from office. It is and must be a contest between the two races for supremacy. The one or the other must bear rule. The Superior race cannot consent to bear all the burdens of government and allow the inferior race who contribute next to nothing for the support of government - who have nothing at stake & no capacity to govern, to rule them. All this if not in some way altered must lead to a bloody conflict and to the destruction of the one or the other race. How a wise and rational government could have contrived - and can still continue such a policy is to me the greatest wonder and astonish- ment of my life. I have been through all the trials until now intensely National in my feelings. At great peril to my reputation amongst my own people & kindred in the hours of their ****** and fully I plead for the Union and upheld its authority. Is it in human nature to continue to live and cherish a Government so cruel? - More cruel than if they had eliminated twenty thousand of our bravest & best men and left their survivors free. But enough of this. The seasons here have been rather unfavorable. The Winter was quite cold and very wet. But little work has been done toward planting a crop. Not much Corn yet planted though ordinarily we have been want to finish by this time. I hope that you will continue to write as often as convenient. I am very truly & affectionately yours Wm L. Owen