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Mountsterling Ky Feb 7th 1866

Gen Fisk

Dear Sir
I desire to call your attention to the situation I find some of the colored children placed in. They were free before the emancipation proclamation was issued & apprenticed, the statute laws of Ky does not compel those to whom apprenticed to educate them, I have application from a mother to return her daughter from apprenticeship, I made application to the man who has the girl in possession he declined to give her up untill your opinion could be obtained.

I have done but little as yet registering contracts in consequence of the misrepresentation & false impression made on the minds of the Freedmen prejudicial to the Bureau. This is done by conservative rebels & their sympathizers many of them wealthy farmers employing a great many Freedmen with contracts made only allowing them quaters [[quarters]], provisions, and clothing, certainly far below the value of their labor. The sentiment of the Ky Legislature indicates the feeling of the people & when they can operate to prejudice the minds of the Freedmen it is done & solely with the view of obtaining their services for little or nothing. A Freedman came to see me a few days since & stated that he was really afraid to come to town that his master had