Dublin Core
Title
Westend Post Civil Wars Letters #195
Description
Westend June 24th 1865
Dear Julia
Late last night Mr Tayler found that he would have to leavefor Mont rose today, instead of on Monday as he had first intended, and any letter to you will be hurried instead of long as I wished it to be. But my dear why should we write long letters when there is nothing but woe to write about. I pray to God constantly that I may not lose faith in His goodness and justice, but find it almost impossible to realize, when I think that such a cause as ours, for which so much pure and noble blood has been shed, that such a cause should have failed. Those who died believing it impossible for us to fail. I often envy – who can ever picture this misery and degradation of us poor wretches who are left behind. My only hope now is that one of these days we may be able to leave this country and live in some other on the childrens account. If we can (not) hand down to others the freedom which we accessed as an inheritance from our forefathers surely we might try and put them in some better situation than can be found in this country. But I fear that we will find it impossible to make a living in any other land, so it seems possible that the same tendre love and affection which induced our Northern friends to kill xxxxx (as many) that we loved, and devastate the land will also make them confiscate what little property is left to us. I hope the boys will not be molested as they are not quilty of learning I do in another time to all their other sins but I see from the northern papers that people are hungry for all that they possibly get at After the surrender of Gen Lee, the northern government offered the people about time, that if they took the amnesty rolls they would be forgiven for the past. Most folks were so silly as to believe they meant to tell the truth. Mr Tayler suggested to the officer some doubt of the good faith of the government, and he was much scandalised but no sooner was the rolls taken than proclamation comes out saying the government only meant to delude the country for the sake of ending the war by that oath, and that people must take another and that only poor people may take it. But enough of all this. We doubt you think enough of it without being written to about it but there is no news to write about nor anything else with which to fill up a letter agreeably We are in a great stir about the negroes all the time. The object of my letter to you is to beg that you all come and make your home with us. It is one of the few things, likely to happen , which would add greatly to my happiness. Dear Julia please dont refuse we will do all that we can to make you happy and you would add a great deal to the happiness of this household. I think if I could only see you I could use arguments which would be all powerful. Dont decide to live any where else till you come here at least to give me a chance of convincing you I feel almost sure that we can make you comfortable and Mr Tayler is the most proper person for you to live with I think. He has more claims on you on niece. I do want to see you more than I can tell and I want the children to know and love you Henry goes down with his father and feel somewhat anxious at the desperation. So if you see him do any thing or say any thing wrong reprove him. You know he will not be with his father all the time. Breakfast is ready so I must stop as I will have a great deal to do after it. Give my love to your mother and the boys. Good bye
Yours afectionately
Mary W Taylor
Dear Julia
Late last night Mr Tayler found that he would have to leavefor Mont rose today, instead of on Monday as he had first intended, and any letter to you will be hurried instead of long as I wished it to be. But my dear why should we write long letters when there is nothing but woe to write about. I pray to God constantly that I may not lose faith in His goodness and justice, but find it almost impossible to realize, when I think that such a cause as ours, for which so much pure and noble blood has been shed, that such a cause should have failed. Those who died believing it impossible for us to fail. I often envy – who can ever picture this misery and degradation of us poor wretches who are left behind. My only hope now is that one of these days we may be able to leave this country and live in some other on the childrens account. If we can (not) hand down to others the freedom which we accessed as an inheritance from our forefathers surely we might try and put them in some better situation than can be found in this country. But I fear that we will find it impossible to make a living in any other land, so it seems possible that the same tendre love and affection which induced our Northern friends to kill xxxxx (as many) that we loved, and devastate the land will also make them confiscate what little property is left to us. I hope the boys will not be molested as they are not quilty of learning I do in another time to all their other sins but I see from the northern papers that people are hungry for all that they possibly get at After the surrender of Gen Lee, the northern government offered the people about time, that if they took the amnesty rolls they would be forgiven for the past. Most folks were so silly as to believe they meant to tell the truth. Mr Tayler suggested to the officer some doubt of the good faith of the government, and he was much scandalised but no sooner was the rolls taken than proclamation comes out saying the government only meant to delude the country for the sake of ending the war by that oath, and that people must take another and that only poor people may take it. But enough of all this. We doubt you think enough of it without being written to about it but there is no news to write about nor anything else with which to fill up a letter agreeably We are in a great stir about the negroes all the time. The object of my letter to you is to beg that you all come and make your home with us. It is one of the few things, likely to happen , which would add greatly to my happiness. Dear Julia please dont refuse we will do all that we can to make you happy and you would add a great deal to the happiness of this household. I think if I could only see you I could use arguments which would be all powerful. Dont decide to live any where else till you come here at least to give me a chance of convincing you I feel almost sure that we can make you comfortable and Mr Tayler is the most proper person for you to live with I think. He has more claims on you on niece. I do want to see you more than I can tell and I want the children to know and love you Henry goes down with his father and feel somewhat anxious at the desperation. So if you see him do any thing or say any thing wrong reprove him. You know he will not be with his father all the time. Breakfast is ready so I must stop as I will have a great deal to do after it. Give my love to your mother and the boys. Good bye
Yours afectionately
Mary W Taylor
Publisher
Louisa County Historical Society
Date
June 24, 1865
Contributor
Westend Family Papers
Rights
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All items in our archives have been donated to The Louisa County Historical Society with express permission to use them only for not-for-profit purposes of education and individual research. We make them available online to further those ends. Anyone wishing to use images online or in printed publications must obtain express written permission to do so from the Louisa County Historical Society and the legal copyright holder. Users assume full responsibility for disputes arising from copyright violations or invasions of privacy.
All items in our archives have been donated to The Louisa County Historical Society with express permission to use them only for not-for-profit purposes of education and individual research. We make them available online to further those ends. Anyone wishing to use images online or in printed publications must obtain express written permission to do so from the Louisa County Historical Society and the legal copyright holder. Users assume full responsibility for disputes arising from copyright violations or invasions of privacy.
Identifier
WE_2012_01_195a, WE_2012_01_195b, WE_2012_01_195c