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War Department,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedman, and Abandoned Lands,
Washington, September 28th 1866.

Hon E. M. Stanton
Secretary of War

Sir:
Having received a copy of Govr Pattons letter to the President, dated September 13. 1866, soliciting a suspension of circular no. 10. from this Bureau, and representing that the actual sufferers in Alabama from want of food are from "seventy to eighty thousand, the larger portion of whom are widows and orphans; and that three fourths of this number are absolutely dependent upon Government or charitable contributions for subsistence; and representing further a depleted State Treasury, and an embarrassed credit; and having in addition to these representations, received several earnest recommendations, from Major General Swayne Asst. Comr. to the same effect, I recommend that special relief be furnished from the appropriation for that purpose, not to exceed forty thousand dollars ($40,000.) per month, for the period of three months.