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heard and seen, that too great precaution cannot be taken on the part of the said W. F De Knight, to preserve himself from injury at the hands of a large class of the White people of this, Abbeville County. 

In conclusion, Deponent emphatically declares, that he has never known the above named W. F De Knight to take part in or be present at any political meeting whatever, or to take a public part in politics in any manner since he has been stationed on duty in Abbeville County; moreover, that although he has himself had frequent conversations with him, in his Office, and been also present when he has been conversing with many other freedmen, who have sought his advise, he has on no occasion ever heard him counsel any one of them in any way that would not as he conscientiously believes, conduce clearly to their own permanent interest, and the welfare of the Country at large - according to his best judgment and honest conviction; and that while he had never heard him make use of any language calculated to excite the passions of the freedmen towards the Whites, he had, on the contrary, invariably heard him earnestly counsel forbearance, moderation, the cultivation of good feeling on all sides, and the preservation of a state of perfect tranquillity, even under the infliction of the grossest outrages, where even the life of the colored man has been taken, and nothing has been done on the part of the proper officers of the law to effect the arrest of the white murderers.