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Swan Quarter Hyde Co Dec 13th /66

Captain James

Dear Sir

Through the Solicitations of many Freed men of this County I am induced to address you in relation of thare Rights which they report to me are withheld from them by thare former Owners many of them Male & Female have laboured with them  during the year 1865 with Expectation and promise of being compensated out the products of the farms they Laboured on, whitch they report to me has not been done the former owners. tells them if they get any thing they must get it by law I am also informed by the freed men that they have made frequent applications to Mr Hillard Gibbs. for redress but have obtained none. They now look to me to befriend them. but I have no power to do so - my powers embrace the criminal code, & to see that they are not held to Service by thare former owners & my duties I have strictly attended to the freed men are in desperate circumstances and if thare wages are withheld from them for the past years Labour they are bound to suffer. I Recd. a letter from Lieut Hyt [[strikethrough]]about[[/strikethrough]] some four weeks past stating to me that he should be in Hyde County in a few days but has not arrived yet, and if thare [[strikethrough]]if thare[[/strikethrough]] rights are not forced out of thare former owners the probability is they will never get them  I am dear sir your
Obedient Servant
William. B. Tooly, Capt
of the police force
in Hyde County