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What must I do with freedmen who are allowed to use our woodland in providing for their comfort while with us, but who insist in divesting the houses of everything when they leave at the end of the year? 

I have a case here which I wish to have your advice about.  A woman left the plantation on 1st January 1868 & tore down all the boards in the house which she had been occupying even since she had been a Slave & which her husband (now dead) had been allowed to fix using our animals to haul the same, this woman contends that they are her boards & that she will not replace them & this was done after repeated assurances that she intended leaving the plantation in a friendly manner & that she would not disturb anything.  Am I not justifiable in charging her the value of the boards?  

I wish to establish a precedent as the whole plantation will be divested of houses if I do not make an example of this first offender.  Already another woman has threatened to do the same thing.  Please inform me what the nature of the contracts must be to merit your approval & assistance in supplying provisions - corn &c - to planters.  The Freemen believe to a great extent that the Government will feed gratis, & is doing them a greaat deal of harm.

Please grant me an early reply

Yours Truly
J J 
King

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See L.B. Jany 24, 68 for reply.
[[stamp]] Hd. Qrs. B. OF R.F. & A.L. South Carolina Rec'd JAN 21 1868 [[/stamp]]
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