Letter from J. D. Penn to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; January 30, 1874

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Letter from J. D. Penn to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; January 30, 1874

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Document Metadata

Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Penn, J. D.

Events

Military Events--Capitulations Taxation

Organizations

Mississippi--Executive Department United States--Congress

Occupations

Farmers Merchants Secretaries

Places

Mississippi--Monroe County. Aberdeen

Social Identifiers

African Americans

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Aberdeen Miss
Jan 30 1874

Hon. Govr. A. Ames

Sir this is the first time that I attempt to address a Governor of the Stat. looking toward the future of my Country but I have not mental power to address you as I desire to but howsoever I will try though may make mistakes but I will try to explain what I want noticing the papers of the aberdeen time, I See where it was encouraging nothern farmers to immigrate to the Souoth. now why not give us the chance that they aire offering to northern farmers, that is here in the State already at hand if they land owner here will not give

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us a fair Showing how can they do so to other.

if the land owners will Say to us here. Come I have land enought for you to tend. when they See So many idle people that has no land. Come and take sutch quantity of land & mule and lind give me Sutch parts of what you make it will be better instaid of closing up all chances to the colored People here and say-ing thus they not trusty idel. we work verey hard and cannot pay our debt. all we ask is a fair Showing and we will pr makes the county So prosparius thus they will not have chance to call for immigration.

I will Say this, and which many other Colord have the Same mind if we dont have better treatment then we has had we will

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Pitition Congress to prepair us a territory of to our seffe we cannot comport with the condition here.

ever thang that is to our convenient of making our support is Short up from us we work hard enought Since the Surrender for some of us to have an indefin-dent fortune moor than we have got I know verry well that they have the best chance.

and I know this too that if I have a thousand acre of land I cannot tind all of it my Self Iand the [?] mules all on hand and have to pay Tax on them I could not let the land lay out year after year if so it would beneful me I will Say to other that is not Suppled with this power come I will furnish the land & mules take them what you makes

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can they

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give me a part instid of Laying I cannnot trust you will not respect you as mutch as to let you have my land to your on own Say so, but I will let white man rent it and hire you.

also the merchant begin to Say to colord men that will work I must trust you for my good I am going to Stop crediting you while thy else cept farming be don it cannot cept thair Store I hope you will answer this So that we can have Satisfaction

Yours most humble Sevent

J. D. Penn

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EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,

From J. D. Penn.
Address Aberdeen, Miss
Date January 30^th 1874.
Received February 9^th 1874.
Answered February 9^th 1874.

SUBJECT:
Dire distress of the colored popu=lation.

ADELBERT AMES,
Governor.

Private Secretary.