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he has taken upon himself to be not alone a teacher but a true friend to the col'd. race.

When the Negroes were freed and their minds disturbed on the question of freedom, he stepped forward and became the advocate of their rights and their adviser. He organized the present school on the principle of a seminary from which to furnish teachers and missionaries, and so much faith has he in the success of his undertaking that he completely ignores the sneers of the ignorant and the dangers he is exposed to from the hand of malicious and unprincipled persons, and to show that these dangers are not immaginary it may suffice to say that he has been shot at four different times in broad daylight on going home from church. The civil authorities have not taken much notice of these acts on the part of a set of ruffians, and his friends have advised him not to make "bad" worse by trying to prosecute the offenders. Born and educated in the South he already at a young age evinced that deep interest for the colo. race which has marked his affinity, by freeing his slaves. He is now, having had the little property he chiefly depended upon for a living destroyed during the war, in very reduced circumstances, and as he is old - 81 years - and in feeble health; I look upon it as a duty to recommend him to the most favorable consideration of the Bureau. He is worthily assisted by his wife and daughter, both of whom are teachers in the School.

At Corinth as well as at Okolona I was told by all with whom I came in contact that the Freedmen, with exceptions of course, give general satisfaction to their employers and that the communities in consequence thereof day after day take more favorable views of the new order of things. But there is still a sneaking desire observable to take advantage of the ignorance of the Freedmen and in many instances many of the Magistrates are but too willing to shape their course according to the popular breeze.

From Okolona I proceeded to Aberdeen. My inquiries in regard to the conditions of the Freedmen there resulted in somewhat similar information to the above. The Mayor is a man of great firmness of character and sees that justice is done the Freedmen. I was invited to be present at a meeting of the Board of Aldermen, at which I called their attention to the necessity of their full support to measures in regard to the education of the cold people, suggested that it would be desirable that a new schoolhouse

Transcription Notes:
changed "Okalona" to "Okolona" changed "colo" to "cold" for "colored" I believe "colo." is short for "colored"