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Crawford, Russell, Co, Ala.
January 19. 1866.

Brevet Maj Genl.
Wager Swayne.

General.
Your note of the 11th instant has been received and while I must express my satisfaction at its courtesy and candor, you will pardon my surprise at the position it assigns me, and the misinterpretation of the object of my former communication.
This, however, I am perfectly convinced, is only the result of a misconception of the capacity in which I am acting, and the obligations under which I am resting as an Officer of the State of Alabama. The original conflict, if any existed, I assume, between the Statute law of this State and the regulations and intentions of the Freedman's Bureau, have been definitely and distinctly settled. For instance, had the Federal Government, through its authorized Agent of that Bureau, assumed the position that the law of Alabama upon the subject of apprenticing minor children, should not apply to the minors of that race over whom it is now exercising a special Guardianship, clearly, as