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368 Head Quarters Sub Dist of Alabama Montgomery Ala Febry 1" 1867 Cunningham Mr Wm. Evergreen Alabama Sir Your communication of the 30" Ult concerning freedmen making verbal contracts with irresponsible parties is received. In reply I have to say that it would be difficult for the Bureau to interfere in this matter since the parties being free have a right to work for whoever they please. The utmost that can be done is to advise the freedmen of the absolute necessity of their making written contracts, and of their engaging themselves to responsible parties only. Very Respectfully Your obdt servant O.D. Kinsman Supt Head Quarters Sub Dist of Alabama Montgomery Ala Febry 1" 1867 Messrs Chilton & Sherrington Attys & Counsellors at Law Montgomery Alabama Gentlemen Be so kind as to furnish me a succinct statement of the efforts you have made as Attys for this Bureau to secure for it thee benefits of the Act of Congress conferring upon it the lands &c, belonging to the late so-called Confederate States, and the results attained by the District Court of the U States for the middle District of Alabama in reference thereto. I am Gentlemen Very Respectfully Your obdt servant Major General 369 Head Quarters Sub Dist of Alabama Montgomery Ala Febry 1" 1867 360/372 Howard Maj Gen. O.O. Commr Bureau R.F. & A.L. Washington D.C. General I have the honor to ask that authority may be given me to pay S.S. Gardner now Asst Supt at Selma as an ex officer retained with the pay of this Army rank under the Act of Congress continuing the Bureau. Mr Gardner has served in the Bureau since its organization in the State first while chaplain, and after being mustered out, as a civilian, and has rendered much valuable service. It is designed that during the present month he shall be in sole charge of a station from which it has been found necessary to detach the officer in charge, and other changes are in prospect which will subject him to considerable expense. Very Respectfully Your obdt servant Maj Gen & Asst Commr. Head Quarters Sub Dist of Alabama Montgomery Ala Febry 2" 1867 Brooks N.L. Esq House of Representatives Dear Sir As I learn that there is some misunderstanding in your County touching the Authority conferred on Mr Gardner, of your County, to open schools under the auspices of this office, you will do me a favor by correcting it as far as may be. The principle on which the Bureau has been furnished with any means whatever for school purposes, is that the donation originally made to the State by the United States for the education of the "inhabitants" has been heretofore devoted exclusively to the wants of the white portion of such inhabitants. Hence by way of compensation the Bureau is directed to establish a limited number of schools for colored persons, and this is of course the only authority which is delegated in turn to Mr Gardner. The minor details of the arrangement are that Mr Gardner shall labor to induce the people of your county to provide ten school houses and undertake to supply ten teachers with their board. That the Bureau shall supply such moderate compensation
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