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Office Sub Asst. Comr Bureau Refugees Freed and A.L
Dist. Nor. Ala. Huntsville Ala. March 1st 1867,
Maj. General Wager Swayne
Asst. Com. Bureau R.F and A.L State of Ala,
Montgomery Ala,

General:
In compliance with instructions heretofore received, I have the honor to submit the following statement as touching matters generally in connection with my official duties to, during the Month of February 1867,

During the first three weeks of the Month, the labor of the office employed three checks; one on claims, another on contracts and recording the same and the third on settlements and copying letters sent and received; endorsements and making reports; while I have been constantly engaged in a general supervision of the whole; writing letters &c &c.  Toward the close of the Month a decline in the business of the office has been apparent to such an extend as to warrent the discharge of two clerks, leaving but one in the office at this date.  Since my last report I have relieved Major Jones at Courtland and ordered him to duty in this office, and by his aid I think I shall be able to perform the duties with one clerk only, as the contract business seems to drop off very considerably since the issuance and publication of General Howards order in relation to charging nothing for making and recording contracts.

The citizens seem to entertain the opinion that the necessity for contracts has passed; this idea however is not prevalent among the Freedmen, and the planters have said so much about the order, and