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Steels Bluff Green Co Ala
Maj Gen W. Swayne
G.C. FR & AL

July 18th /67

Sir
Inclosed send you Petition of a number of Freedmen of my vacinity. Most of whome I have known & did Business with Except [[strikethrough]]ed [[/strikethrough]] during the Rebel Ware for [[?]]4 years for me to get as Some kind of Agent to see they Git Thare Rights in contracts & c & c for I am Sorry to say the Civil Law so fare as Freedmen is a nulity in my vacinity there crops now being Layed by or made Freedmen are taken off without being [[?]] & [[?]]] without [[?]]must &c Without [[strikethrough]] or [[/strikethrough]] Provisions or mony I see no Remidy,,the Freedmen on the Two fare (off) from thare authorised Agent at Demopolis or Tuscaloosa to seek a Remedy. There are many of them Cannot make Believe but that I am still thare Agent having acted as Such in 1865 under an order from Lt Col Thomas for a short time thare is but 4 Freedmen on this Petition who Earn wages Tuscaloosa or Demopolis or thare Regular Agent. Only 6 can Reed and 2 write a little, of the Petitions they most of them are Honnest Industrious Self Supporting Stay at home People & with a compensation for Thare labor could live very well. Tho working  for almost nothing Paying thare own Expences They never will do any Good I am Requested to