Spencer Heath's
Series
Spencer Heath Archive
Item 894
Random taping by Spencer MacCallum from conversation with Heath
1958
You know around war time, everybody is under a bounden duty to vote. Some negroes were discussing the matter. One of them says,
“Whut’s all dis yere about de ‘people’s guv’ment’?
“You don’ know whut dat am? Dat guv’ment by de people
“Ya-as, I know dat all right. Whut I wanna know is, guv’ment by whut people?”
“By whut people? Wal, dem’s de people whut by our votins, has got ev’thing whut it takes fo to take ev’thing whut we got.”
____________________________________
/Another version of the same — incomplete pencil notes on a cardboard dated spring 1958:/
ELECTION TIME PHILOSOPHY
Sam: What’s all dis hyr about votin an dis hyar “People’s Guvment?”
Moses: You doan no dat? Dats guvment by de people.
Sam: Yas I knows dat. What I wan know is, guv’ment by
what people.
Moses: What people? Why, dem’s de people what, by ouah
votins has got eve’ything what it takes
____________________
Penned notes for a letter to E.F. Hutton, dated December 16, 1958
Dear Mr. Hutton:
I hope the comic setting of the jewel of truth which, as per promise, I enclose will afford come wry amusement for you.
Sincerely,
Amus: Wot all dishyah ‘bout votin’ in dishyah peepul’s guv’ment?
Andus: You doan ‘no dat? Dat’s guv’ment by de peepul!
Amus: Yaas — I ‘no’s dat. Wot I wanna ‘no’ is,
guv’ment by WHUPpeepul?
Andus: By WHUPpeepul! Dem’s de peepul wot — by ouah
votins — has got evything whut it takes for to
take evything whut we GOT.