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233
June 4
Rev James M Rice
My Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 29th ult is rec'd.
Your labor among the Freedmen is strictly that of a Christian minister, such as, I trust, is very general, if not universal among the clergy of the south. In the language of John Randolph of Roanoke, "The Greeks are at our doors." But the Government has made no provision for ministerial or missionary labor, and none even for salaries of teachers, as such. The small Govt. appropriation is limited, in its expenditure, exclusively to the rental and repairs of school rooms, at such points as responsible parties will assure the support of a school. The support of teachers is wholly the work of charity -- various churches and benevolent associations, at the North, raising the funds and sending out the teachers. The first we know of them, is when they report to the Bureau bearing the commissions of the associations. The Bureau distributes and supervises their work. I have therfore no access to any funds for the support of teachers and nothing to do with the nomination of teachers. I am I have not means to employ teachers to meet the numerous demands of every day.
Very Respy
Your Truly
R.M. Manly
Sup. Education