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year.  He died about six weeks ago, leaving his estate largely insolvent.  The present law of the state, as you are aware, would compel the Freedmen to receive payment in proportion with other creditors.  W.A. Glover, Esq., Justice of the Peace at Forkland, Greene Co., & acting Agent of the Bureau, informed me of their situation, & offered to execute my orders which I might give.  I thereupon wrote him a letter authorizing him to enforce that portion of Gen. Order No. 12, giving Freedmen a lien upon the crop for the payment of their wages, by seizing & holding half the cotton, until the Freedmen were paid in full.  He then wrote me that he would proceed with the order, if he would be protected from personal responsibility, & desired the Legal opinion of Messrs. Clark & Lyon, Attys, &c.  I laid the case before Messrs. Clark & Lyon, supplied them with the Acts of Congress organizing & continuing the Bureau, also a file of Gen. Orders, directing particular attention to Gen. Order, No. 12, dated Montgomery, Ala. Aug. 30th 1865.  I enclose a copy of their opinion, to which I respectfully invite your particular attention.

I forwarded it to Mr. Glover yesterday, saying, "If you will hold on to the cotton, & if sued, remove "the case to the U.S. District Court, the Government