Freedmen's Bureau Records: Thomas P. Jackson to R.
M. Manly, February 27, 1868
Summary:
In declining an offer of transfer to Southampton, Jackson launches into a
personal political manifesto, expressing his views on the current political
situation, the prospect of black suffrage, and the relations between whites and
blacks. He writes, "I want the fullest equality for all men before the law but
am opposed to attempting to mix oil and water, black and white in one homogenous
social mass because it cannot be done." He also expresses his belief in the
importance of widespread education for ensuring the stability of society.
Reverend
R. M. Manly
Richmond
February 27, 1868
Staunton
Dear Sir
On receipt of your "personal" note I write to Richmond expressing my willingness
to go to Southampton so soon as I could settle up any registration and other
accounts here. Since I have thought over the matter carefully and I am not sure
if a Bureau agency is a good "stepping stone" and unless the majority of
freedmen [unclear: is] decided it might happen that le jeu ne vaut par
la chandelle. Is there no really good resident loyal citizen? and how about the
politics of the colored men. I am not disposed to run things into the ground to
admit color as either a qualification or disqualification or that we owe such a
debt of gratitude to the freedmen that we must [unclear: denigrate] our
own privileges. Our difficulties, and they are serious, arise almost in toto
from making the rights and wrongs of
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the freedmen our staple doctrine
political. The ignoramuses in the convention have done an incalculable injury
and it is hard to say who is most to blame the [unclear: Hodges]
&c or the [unclear: Hannicatts Bowdens] &c who hope to
"tool" the colored votes to northern individual [unclear: s--cents] into
Governorships &c We must put the brains of the party in the lead or we
shall upset all I fear. I am positive on these few points. I want to "make the
traitors take back seats in the work of reconstruction"
([unclear: order] A. Johnson) I want intelligence & integrity as
well as loyalty in office. I want the fullest equality for all men before the
law but am opposed to attempting to mix oil and water, black and white in one
homogenous social mass, because it cannot be done and I want education so
general and placed on such a solid foundation that [unclear: each]
resolution cannot overthrow it, for depend upon it an ignorant constituency is
almost always a venal constituency and colored suffrage may prove a dangerous
privilege when it is subjected to the
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proof of rebel bribery.
Gratitude is not over developed in any freedman I have yet met and when they
think they have secured all Republicans can give a few acres of waste land will
do wonders. But let education become general and thorough and we have a
guarantee of safety.
Do you differ much with me? and can you give me any light which may be of service? If so, please say. A.J. made a bold bid for the Democratic nomination but I fear even this poor Judas reward will not be doled out to him. Martyrdom has had its day of grand results, and political martyrdom is very poor stock in which to invest in 1868.
Write the news
Yours truly
Thos P. Jackson
