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made in July which I enclose you a coppy & you will see he only proposes to give them three Bales of cotton including there individual patches & the proof shows that the negroes patches made one & a half Bales which they made of Sundays & the little holadays that was allowed them the proof also shows that they had made & geathered for Mr Cotter 42 Bales of cotton worth $8400. besides 7 Bales put in the field they also made 300 Barrells of corn & had geathered 150 Barrells of the Same besides what they had used, Wheate Hay and a considerable quantity of Polk worth at the very lowest calculation $10,000 and all they are allowed under the contract is One Bale & half of cotton. 750 lb worth $300.00 again the proof shows that when Genl Washburn of Memphis issued his Proclamation in May enforcing the Freedom of the negroes Mr Cotter call his negroes up & told them if they would stay with him and cultivate his crop he Mr Cotter would give them a portion of his cotton and portion of the corn & let them have meet enought to start them for the present year 1866 & in July when the crop was made or nearly so he then call them up and tells them they must go into a written contract if they were not willing to sign the one he had drawn up they might leave