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This  meanness no doubt started with the once wealthy slave holders, who now have vast farms and little money to carry them on. The poor whites, jealous of any - even common - success the negros may meet with that might place them in better circumstances than themselves, readily join in with the large land holders in their attempts to crush out or down negro equality before the law.
   
Politics occupy much of the attention of both races. The whites are persistently at work to divide the colored in party organizations. I have heard of cases where the whites have even descended to bribery to accomplish this split. 
   
I have been stationed at various locations in Va., and have seen negroes drinking liquor, but this Yorktown goes ahead of them all. With a population of about 200, it supports with the adjacent river and sparsely settled country, 12 places where liquor is sold by the glass. The negro seemingly has a natural taste for liquor, and with these elegant opportunities set before him, you may surmise the result
   
I am General, with great respect, 
Your obedient servant 
Henry K W Ayres
A.S.A. Com

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-27 14:19:19