Lewis H. Douglass to Frederick Douglass, October 29, 1866
Denver Oct. 29 1866
Dear Father:—Your letter of
Oct. 12th came duly to hand.
I found that the laundry business
would be a failure owing
to the scarcity of hands so I got out of
it and with Fred have opened
a lunch room. Through the
kindness of Mr. Wm J Hardin
who introduced me to a firm
who let me have goods to the
amount of one hundred dollars
for which we could pay
in weekly installments in
amounts convenient to ourselves.
We have been open two
weeks and have paid one half
of the bill and have fifty dollars
left. This business promises
well; it is only kind of business
paying at all in Denver
Mr. Wagoner is making money at it
and Mr. Ford made his money
in the business. The way people
get along here is if finding one
thing won't pay to jump at
something else making a little
out of every thing. In my business,
I am up early and
late. I doubt if Nathan has any
advantage over me in that
respect.
A couple of weeks ago Mr.
Wagoner and myself had an
interview with Ex-Gov. Evans
Senator elect from Colorado
in relation to the colored
people's views on the admission
of Colorado into the Union.
After listening to his propositions
we asked a little time for
consideration of them before
answering him. I drew up
a reply which we will present
him on his return from
the mountains. He (Gov. Evans)
has been east all summer
since pulling for the admission
of Colorado and has found
that denying the right of
suffrage to colored men will
be a barrier in the way
of her admission, consequently
he comes back hoping to cajole
the colored people into
the belief that their rights
can better be obtained under
a State than under a territorial
government, and therefore
asks the colored people
not to interpose any objection
to her admission as
they did last winter. But I
for one can't see it, and will
send you my reasons when I
have a little more time if you
feel interested to know my
reasons in regard to such matters. I can't write such a letter as I would like at this time as I am busy. Give my love to mother and all
Your Aff. Son
Lewis