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Two criminals I ever knew were negroes.  The Governor was kind enough to commute the sentence of one on the application of his former owner, and the Judge.  I made application for the other and obtained a reprieve which is still pending, and will I trust be final. And I have with fear that the law will be continued.

Copies of The Veto Messages above maintained have been sent you from time to time. You will remember that just of the Election I assured you that Gov Patten would not be found wanting in sympathy or co-operation with the Bureau and I trust you will receive these indications that I was correct. And he is a man not to be driven from a position once assumed. 

The re-assembling of the Legislations brought alas a vast mass of evidence of distribution, which was already indicated and confirmed by reports of officers and others several of which I send you with this  paper. The estimates sent in for the month were promptly met, and we have been able to supply partial relief as fast as the details of issue were perfected.

Mr. H. M. Cruikshank, the state Commissioner, spent the first half of the month in North Alabama making arrangements for the fourteen Counties in Huntsville District, including those most in need of immediate help. He will next visit the Counties to be supplied from Selma, Talladega and Tuscaloosa. He is rigorous and careful and I am pleased 

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with his operations.

From the estimate which I send you, you will see that the authenticated report is enormous, reaching 52,000 white persons. Yet the estimates sent in for this month do not exceed the maximum of fifteen thousand (15,000) mentioned in my last report. For there are already indications of abuse in some quarters and I see no way but to fix for each county a limit of no more than we are sure is needed that they may be themselves interested to defeat and prevent imposition. Indeed the whole system is only excusable as transient. The state however has given conclusive evidence of the necessity by appropriating a million of dollars if it can be raised which however I suppose is mainly designed for the very large class of persons who are in no sense paupers, but simply poor people who want credit for something for themselves and their animals to eat while they make their little crops.

The Commissary ordained by Gen. Woods to report to me, has failed to do so, for some reason unknown to me. His absence has caused me some inconvenience and uncertainty and steps have been taken to hold him to a strict accountability. The mail has been supplied by the detail of an officer now here who will report tomorrow. By the close of next month I hope the ration business will at least be so systematized that we can give a full and specific account of it. I felt very much obliged to you from the detail, made in anticipation of my request.