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Auburn, Macon Co: Ala:
Nov 30th 1865

Genl Wager Swayne: 

I notice Advertisement of "Hardaway & Harris" in Montgy Ledger & V. approval of their plan of a "Genl Intelligence Office, for furnishing negro Labor in every Department" in which you say "Contracts approved by them have the Sanction of this Office" - It occurs to me that I may make myself useful to the Country - by adopting this plan & opening an Office here in Auburn. If you would give me yr approval & require all Contracts in this place & within ten miles thereof to be submitted to me for ratification & authorize me to charge a small fee for registration &c, & a small fee for supplying Servants I should at once have the power of great usefulness - The black people would no longer hesitate to make Contracts under my official assurance of the propriety of doing so - the planters might at once supply themselves with labor so much needed at this time to prepare the dilapidated farms for production & I should endeavor, in the fear of God & the love of all men, to do even handed justice, & present every species of information & above.  Give me a guard to enforce the right, if you have the power to do so, & I pledge you my honor to carry the Spirit & objects of Govt. into every house in my District - While the great Roof of our people are disposed to do right - restore order on the