James B. Hagan of company B is mentioned as having written home to his parents about Bishop's support of Thomas Seymour for governor. Bishop expresses his distrust of Hagan. Bishop discusses his view of the draft and further states that he disagrees that the government has the right to deprive the southern whites of their slaves 'unless providence intended it as punishment on them for their sins.' He warns Sarah not to talk of politics in Danbury but encourages her to express her opinions to her husband.
Napoleonville La.
April 25th 1863
My dear Wife
it is another day to day and I will try to finish my letter to you. whether my ideas will flow easily remains to be seen I am afraid they will not, this morning is cloudy and looks as if we might have rain.
My dear Wife I think that James Hagan must have written home to his folks that I was a seymour man because I do not think of any one else that would be apt to do it. I donot put implicit confidence in his magrammity [magnanimity] of disposition to do the just thing always. I have endeavored to explain to him once or twice what I thought about the war and what I thought the effect of the election of Seymour would have on the country. I donot think that he can understand the position that I took in the matter. I endeavor to talk as litle before him as I can for I think that he is not to be trusted as a friend to me where his inclination led him different.
I think that the aspect of the war is changing and it looks as if the Government would finally be successful at any rate whether it is successful or not it is my duty to obey it in all just things. I know the necessity there is for it to have men to fill the army and I approve of the conscription Bill with the exception of the 300 dollar clause I am satisfied that that clause favors the rich at the expense of the poor mans life I am sorry that the Government legislated in that manner I have been of the opinion that when the drafi took place in the northern states under that law that it woud produce trouble but I am in hopes that it will not because I want to see the Gov. vindicated. I donot think that it was just on the part of the government to deprive the southern people of their slaves unless providence intended it as punishment on them for their sins. I think perhaps providence did intend it for the wicked ambition that seems to have seized on the minds of the leading politicians of the south. I have changed my mind in a measure as it regards the policy of freeing the slaves as a punishment for their crime of Rebellion.
Now my darling I want to have you as careful as you be about expressing your opoinion to any one in D. [Danbury] about political matters because if there should be difficulty there it might injure you. at a time like this the most intense hatred takes possession of minds that do not think just as you do and they are disposed to even injure the unprotected for the utterance of perfectly just sentiments so that I hope that you will mention to me freely what you think but not to others until these times of danger blow over. I have not seen anything in what you have written that I condemmed or that I did not approve of to a certain extent.
my dear Wife write to me unreservally of what you think and so not think that I would deprive you of your opinion because I love you and I want to possess your intire confidence. I am glad that you have opened your mind to me on politics and I respect your opinion but do not forget that my heart craves affectionate expressions from you. you are the only one that I feel that I can trust.
my dear my head is waiting to be laid against yours and all my dreams of Happiness and contentment are connected with you. Continue my dear wife to love me and I shall endeavor to do my duty to you and the children. my greatest happiness is in feeling that day by day the time grows shorter that separates us and I hope that the separation will have benefited us both and cause us to appreciate one another more if possible that we did before. that we may be spared to each other is the earnest prayer of your loving Husband
kiss the children and take one from me by imagination
lovingly JD. Bishop
