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offender a just amount of punishment.  The Civil Law as administered now and as concerns the right of the Freedmen is a humbug

I mention here a couple of cases that have  come under my special notice

About the 1st of January last a drunken young man who had been a confederate soldier met a Freedmen and [[strikethrough]] says [[/strikethrough]] in consequence I suppose of the Freedmen not noticing him when passing, says to him "Here you d-d rascal. So you are free and can't notice anybody" He then drew his pistol and commenced shooting at the Freedman. meantime walking towards him.  He finally shot him in the arm, when he got quite up to him, the Freedman closed with the white man and tried to get hold of the pistol in order to prevent being shot again, but during the struggle the white man managed to shoot the Freedman through the body and dangerously wound him, these are facts and can be proved. During the recent session of the Grand Jury of this County the matter was brought up before them but they neglected to indict the offender.  I did not hear of the case at all until after the Grand jury had been discharged.  I then applied to the Judge of the Circuit Court for what is termed a "Bench Writ" but the Judge refused to grant it unless I would swear that I [[strikethrough]] would [[/strikethrough]] believed the offender intended to run away, but I did not, and do not now