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28 Office Assistant Commissioner Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Montgomery, Ala Sept 9th, 1865 Judge L. McC. Wiley Troy. Pike. Co. Ala Sir ; I am directed by Gen Swayne to write you as follows. The impression prevails at the North to a great extent that civil justice at the South as administered in cases where Freedmen are concerned, is a failure. The best refutation of this supposition will be found in the record of such administration of justice. Please therefore forward to this office a full report of all cases where white persons are convicted of assault or imposition upon the Freedmen. Respectfully, You obt servt, Bvt Col & A.A.G. Office Assistant Commissioner Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Montgomery, Ala. Sept 11th 1865 Capt J.B. Comstock A.A.G. Dist of Montg. Captain; I have the honor to request that 1st Lieut Charles M. Rockfellow Co "A" 178th New York be assigned to duty in this Bureau and ordered to report to me His Comdg Officer has expressed his willingness. 29 Very respectfully, Your obt servt Brig' Gen' & Asst Comsr Office Assistant Commissioner Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Montgomery, Ala. Sept 11th 1865 Mayor of Selma Sir; Strong complaints are made at this office of excessive fines imposed upon colored persons by you, that the City is receiving a large revenue from this source - that at the same time no provision is made by the City for the burial of the colored dead or for their relief in any way. That manifest injustice is done the Freedmen in administering justice, a discrimination being made on account of color. That a large number of negroes are placed in the chain-gang but no whites, while there are as many cases in which the latter class should be punished so, as the former. The Asst Coms'r directs me to say that while he does not act upon this ex-parte testimony, he invites attention to the fact that these fines collected by you as an agent of this Bureau are its rightful property, and if they are wrongly exacted or misapplied a transfer of them to this office will be insisted on; and further, that should attested evidence be furnished him of the above mentioned alleged acts he will be obliged to revoke your power of jurisdiction where Freedmen are interested. He desires a report from you in reply to this letter Very respectfully,
