T. N. Lawrence to S. Maynard

May the 22nd A.D 1861

Mr S. Maynard Sir

I have bin reading some of your Last isue concerning Mr S. A. Douglas Joining the hell hounds of Black Republicanism & the Chicago Platform - for my part I feel like I was not fit to undertake an Editor, Especially So Smart a man as you think you are - in Short I will Say to you if people are to be bully raged by Such a man as you are because they want the rights of the people sustained & the constitution maintained [and?] you want the rebels to pay a tariff on our Tobaco & corn & Produce of all kinds that we send to market & then invade our country by armed mobs. Peopple up here that can get a dollar to send for thare own County paper dont want to be called hell hounds & Black Abolition because they do not want to be run over by a set of scoundrels & traitors. I will say to you from the reading of your Herald that you would be on both sides if you could get a dollar or a subscriber to your paper. I will Say to you if you persue the Same course you have done for some time you will have to go south or go at something else for a living for people in this country will not support such doctrine as was in the Last isue of the Herald, for my part I do not like to be called a hell hound by Such a Jack ass as you are

I think you are as fitt for an editor as hell is for a fodder house if you could make two trades you would be so independant that you would not have to set types for a living. you may call me a black guard or what you please but I want you if you put this in your fine herald give it in full so people can see for thare selves if all such smart men as you & I aught to head the goverment one as President & the other vise President

yours until hell subsides

T. N. Lawrence

Ebenezer Sutton

Newburg

Wm Jones

George [Stuourt?]

Hazelton

Ind

Wm Paten

Mount Vernon

S Maynard

Golconda

Ills