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and are idle and perpetuate crimes. I regret to say the Sub-agents, from all I can learn, rather encourage them in this, at least by their conduct towards them. They certainly use no means to discountenance them in their idle habits. May I therefore suggest the appointment of some agent or agents to travel through the South to instruct the negroes that they must depend on their labor and not think of a distribution of property, and at the same time to examine into the administration of the various Sub-agents. 

Information is not to be obtained from the agents but from the people. 
 
It is hoped the black troops will be speedily removed from the country. If this should be done, we may be able to manage the negroes in the country. But if it should not be done, then some such measure as that I have suggested will be necessary. The negroes very generally refuse to make engagements for the next year, [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] and the planters are now very anxious to make their engagements

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Edited: instructions are not to truncate words, last word on page completed using following page