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Greenville, Ala.
July 4th 1867.

Genl. Swayne, Com'd'g. Ala,
A, MontgomeryL
SirL
I beg leave to submit, for your consideration the following facts: By Section 10, of Chapter II, Revenue Law of Ala, passed at the session of 1866-7, on Pistols or Revolvers not held for sale by any regular dealer, a tax of $2.00 is assessed, and it is made the duty of the Tax Assessor to collect this Tax at the time of Assessment, and to seize the Pistol, if the Tax is not paid.-
This Tax was not imposed by the Legislature, with any view to the present state of affairs. The same Tax, for reasons which seemed good to the Legislature, was imposed by the Laws of the State as far back as 1852, See Code subdivision 33, of Section 391.
I, as Deputy Assessor of Butler County, have been enforcing this Law, fairly and impartially, against Whites and Blacks, until today, when I was ordered, verbally, by Capt. Peck, commanding the Freedmans Bureau at this place, to cease collecting such Tax. He also, at the same time, gave out to a colored man, that Pistols or Bowie Knives, should not be given up hereafter under this Law, I demand of Capt. Peck to give in his order in writing. This