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Mobile Ala July 26th 1865

Brig Genl Nager Swayne,
Asst Comgs- at Freedmans Bureau
Montgomery Ala

[[stamp]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamp]]

Sir
I find myself much cramped by the Proclamation of the Govenor and General Order No 3 from General Wood - Section 2d of the order prohibits my making arrests for debts. Numerous cases come before me every day of persons refusing [[strikethrough]] to comply [[/strikethrough]] to pay negroes the wages agreed upon and yet these contracts have been made in my office
The people here feel indignant that they are obliged to hire the negroes they used to own and will by every possible means endeavor to evade the payment of wages due them, it is therefore unjust that they negro should be at the mercy of men opposed to their prospering by free labor, in addition to the determination to prevent their getting wages rents are being raised to such an extent