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Private & Confidential Elba Ala Jan'y 19th 1867 Genl Swayne, Chief Freedmans Bureau &c For Ala at Monty Sir This communication like the one for Peter Coleman is strictly confidential & for the reasons assigned in Colemans I think 50 different enquiries by the blacks or freed people have been made of me lately as to how they may be redressed for wrongs & frauds practiced upon them by different citizens many of whose cases cannot be reached by the courts as the law is and asking me to make reports for them and enquiring this Sir I say to you candidly I am afraid to do there are many cases where children nearly grown have been bound out Some of them I have had located There are others who have by fear & other undue influences or frauds - given indentures of their children to persons who do not treat them well make only slaves of them. Many violate their contracts with them & cheat them - Many who pay them nothing - Many who hold out superior inducements to get them under contracts with false charges of crime or debt against them and get their work for nothing & bring the freedmen in debt. Should you think proper to send an officer here I will privately give him information of offenders I would also suggest to you the propriety of aiding the freedmen in a school here The man who will deliver this letter to you (Hurt) is a brother to Robert Hurt who was indicted here in 1865 with other white men on charges of Raiding (Larceny) The white men were discharged under the Amnesty Proclamation of the Govr. This freedman
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