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occupied your present position long I know that you have learned at least two things. 1st that a negro [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] with difficulty comprehends a contract and with greater difficulty its moral weight 2nd that he has very little regard for the truth.
When the Rail Road settles with me I shall owe money to the following Freedmen, Austin, Levy, Nathan and Rufus, formerly the slaves of Mr George Watson, William of Mrs Sophy Turner of Mississippi and Harry of Mr Jno Wm Watson. Until the Road does pay me I owe them nothing and when it does pay me I shall without any hesitation pay them. I will thank you to give me the names of the ones who have complained to you  If they choose to do so they can warrant me for the money claimed before our courts without any difficulty and my understanding is that when the courts of the state can and will take cognizance of cases between gentlemen and Fredmen that the Bureau has nothing to do with it or will have nothing to do with it. 
Several Freedmen after having contracted with me to work for the year managed, through the carelessness of my overseer who settled with them, to get in my debt, which when they found out they ran away one night and I have seen nothing of them since, now nearly three months. If you think that you can help me to get the money out of them I will furnish their names to you and be very much obliged to you. I have no idea where they are and for that reason have taken no steps in regard to the matter