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Eutaw Ala
Apr 28 1866

Maj. Gen. W Swayne 

I wrote you some time ago in relation to my duties as a magistrate under stn orders issued by you but having heard [[crossed out]] from [[/crossed out]] nothing from you I have taken it for granted that only in there being no regular mail communication between here and Montgomery you did not get my letter. so I will write you again and ask you for such instructions as may be requisite to transact such business as a Magistrate may have that will be under the Control of the Freedmens Bureau.

I have been repeatedly called on by Citizens of this County to approve their Contracts they believing that I had the authority to do so under one of your orders, but I have invariably refused to do so Seeing nothing in your order that I could construe into such authority but told them that I would write you on the subject and hear what your instructions would be