Letter from Pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Holly Springs, Mississippi Henry Paine to Mississippi Governor Benjamin G. Humphreys; July 31, 1866

Holly Springs Miss. July 31 1866.

To His Excellency, Gov. Humphreys.

Dr. Sir. Although a stranger to you personally, I may state without impropriety that I am Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in this place, & am induced to make the inquiry of you [Last two words underlined] in regard to a matter respecting which, I have sought for information from others in vain. It is proper to say that I attended the great southern Fair in Baltimore held about the 1_st of April, & having a personal acquaintance with some of the most prominent persons, both ladies & gentlemen, connected with that Enterprize, I took it upon me to represent fully, & I hope not without effect, the claims of Mississippi. I especially pleaded in behalf of North Miss. the sufferings, & losses of our people, resulting from the late war, - Several of the Committee promised that my statements should be laid before the dis-tributing Committee, which no doubt was done, as eviden-ced by the munificent donation of $18,000 to this State. - I have waited, anxiously hoping to learn from yourself, through the Public Journals, what it was pro-posed to do, or what was being done with the money. I have heard nothing, nor I have I seen any thing in the Papers in regard to the matter, except your Acknowledgment of the 1_st instalment of (I believe) $5000--

I cannot doubt, dear Sir, but that you can satisfy the many inquiries which are made in common with myself, by the people in regard to this matter.

It has occurred to me that if relief can be afforded to the suffering soldiers & soldiers families of our State that steps ought to have been promptly taken with a view to the judicious & equitable distribution of funds so generously contributed for that object, & yet I have not heard of the first step being _{having been} taken, or the first dollar being _{having been} contributed to any one in this portion of the State, although no section of our country prob-ably suffered so much. Excuse, [Illegible ink blot] Honorable Sir, the liberty I have taken. My chief apology is the lively interest which I have ever felt in the matter.

I am with great respect your obedient servant

Henry H. Paine.

Aug 1_st 1866

F

Holly Springs, Miss. July 31_st 1866

Paine, Henry H.

Letter of -

In regard to distribution of Baltimore Ladies Southern Relief Fund Contribution; asking share of same for his sec-tion of the State