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Demopolis Ala. March 14, 1866

To, 
Genl W. Swayne
Asst. Comr of Bureau of R. F. & AL
Montgomery
[[stamp]]THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES[[/stamp]]

Sir,
After I had the interview with Col Cadle, your A.A.G., in reference to my application to you for the possession of the Demopolis Female Academy buildings and lots; I called a meeting of the "Board of Trustees of the Demopolis Female Academy" and submitted to them the proposition of Col Cadle,[towit?]: that we could get the possession of said buildings if we will pay you the [[strikethrough]] re [[/strikethrough]] value of the new buildings put up on our lots by the Confederate Govt and if we decline to do this you will make an order to sell the new buildings to some person who will remove them & give us up the original buildings & lots.
I am instructed by the Board of Trustees to decline to pay any thing for the said buildings for the following reasons, in addition to those mentioned in my application.
1st That the owners of said land upon which these buildings are placed, is an incorporated company created by an act of the Legislature for the purpose of encouraging education - and which was also encouraged by an act of Congress - That said incorporation has committed no offence against the laws of the United states, that would authorize the confiscation of the property - and even if it had, that it is necessary that the property be condemned by proceedings in a court, having jurisdiction of such cases, before any claim can be set up on that ground.
2nd That the property is not, and never has been abandoned property, but was forceably taken or