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done in our Country and our law on the subject was very short and unsatisfactory and, consequently the manner of procuring very imperfectly understood by me at that time, but the lawyer with whom I advised on the subject gave it as their opinion that under the law as it then stood applicable to both whites and blacks, that notice was not required and all that was necessary that satisfactory proof should be made before me of the inability of the parents to provide for their support. On reflection and consideration I determined to change this method of procedure, believing it to be unjust to the freedmen and in all cases to require notice to parents and after this while I remained in office, whenever complaint was made to me by any parent who had not been notified I gave them the benefit of Habeus Corpus or cited them to appear and had the parties brought before me and in some instances one I distinctly remember discharged children who had been previously bound. I am sure that I feel willing to see full justice done to the freedmen in their right, of liberty, person & property and have, probably, suffered in the intimation of some for the manifestation of such a disposition I regret, extremely, that I did not in the first instance require notice in every case

Transcription Notes:
2-26-2021: Deciphered remaining [[?]]s, made some minor corrections and marking for review Edited: its not ful its feel,