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testimony in the courts, with the pusillanimous exception of cases in which white men alone here parties passed the Senate, was amended in the House, the amendment rejected in the Senate and after a conference the enclosed bill became a law.

[[left margin]] Testimony Bill [[/left margin]]
Some other bills of an injurious tendency passed the House but have thus far been arrested by the good sense of the Senate. Public opinion here moves by a process of radiation and I am in hopes that the stern good sense which is just emanating from Washington and is already making some members of the house obnoxious will soon control the sentiment of that body.
I am, General,
Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servt
Brvt Maj Gen &c

Office Assistant Commissioner
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Montgomery, Ala. Decr 22d 1865

Maj Gen O.O. Howard
Commisioner &c
Washington, D.C.

General;

My usual weekly report was not forwarded last week, in consequence of my feeling it necessary to go to Mobile immediately upon the adjournment of the Legislature. I however telegraphed you a summary of the action of that body and requested Col Cadle to send you copies of the bills with an apology for myself.

I returned from Mobile on Saturday having

been four days en route, in consequence of attempting to come up the river in a boat which met with an accident.

I send you enclosed two slips from the Mobile Register & Advertiser, containing letters to that paper, which give the best account I have seen of the Legislative action last week. It is proper however to observe that I have studiously avoided interfering with that body, and have not been in either house except on occasion of the inauguration. On Friday the Governor sent for me. I found in the Executive office, Gov. Patton, Gov Parsons, the President of the Senate and other gentlemen. They submitted to me three bills, the approval of which was under consideration. 1st The [[underline]]Apprentice[[/underline]] bill which I could only pronounce the revival of slavery, so far as concerned persons under age. 2. The Contract bill, which I am obliged to pronounce the revival of slavery for all others, except as to sale of persons. 3. A bill to revive those parts of the slave code which refer to free negroes. I simply opened the Statute book and pointed out provisions which required all free negroes to leave the State within thirty days, and others of the same or worse tenor. I moreover advised them that the fact that 10,000 of these bills had been ordered for immediate distribution showed that the status of the courts here was not understood. I had been obliged to issue my Circular No. 3, which has been sent you. Thereupon Mr Crenshaw, the President of the Senate, drew the bill which was presented to abolish the distinction of color in the administration of the law. It was a time of profound feeling, but I am assured that the bill will pass,

Transcription Notes:
[[underline]] removed per Smithsonian instructions