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Charlotte [[?]] H. Va OCt 26th 1867

Dear Sir
Though personally a stranger I would take the lib. to confer with you in regard to the important trust you have in charge for the freedmen & their children in our state. I would state that I am a  minister of the Presbyterian church & have employed a large portion of my life in teaching school; but since the war I have turned my attention principally to the freedmen. Last year I did little more than distributing books among them which I obtained from the A. Treach [[?]] society through the Rev. Mr Schearer of Richmond. The present year I have been active in getting up sunday schools among them, & have taught for a few months a small week day school at my house, which is some ten miles from the [[?]]. I have thus taught with some assistance upwards of a hundred to spell & read without any compensations; but for the week day school. I have the promise of pay when they get able, except from orphans whom I teach gratis. It is not likely that I shall get over half as they [[strikethrough]] like myself & many others find it hard to live. But they are very much pleased with what I have done for them & their children & very anxious that I should resume the work on a larger scale. Seeing some notice of your operations in Virginia a few days ago in the Richmond Whiz; I was induced to lay my case before you & ascertain whiter you could not consistently with your instructions afford us a little pecuniary aid in one or both of our plans for their immediate improvement in knowledge & virtue; & we would wish to know as soon as possible that the colored people might have an opportunity of selecting their homes accordingly. They are pressing upon me already to decide