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employ much amounting in all to one hundred and fifty persons. This demand for laborers is still increasing. Many planters who brought their slaves here from Mississippi and Louisiana for safe keeping are now returning to their homes taking their former slaves with them to work their plantations the coming year. In this way several hundred will be taken from the State this fall.

Aside from this fact, I can plainly see a growing confidence among planters in their ability to control free negroes another year. This confidence furthermore, will be increased, I am sure, by the forthcoming Labor Regulations. Nothing will create a demand for labor so much as a restoration of confidence between former master and slave. Many Planters who have already made up their minds to plant but half [[strikethrough]] but half [[/strikethrough]] of their land because of distrust in a free labor system among negroes, would plant to the full extent of their ability if they had certain  confidence in making a crop with free labor. If, by any means, such a restoration can be brought about, it is evident that a large number of laborers will be called for and fairer wages paid. If in any way, we can stimulate labor, the problem is solved at once and we can easily have our own way and the Freedmen