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states: "I believe the Civil Authorities have come far short of doing justice to the freedmen, and to sustain me in my opinion on this subject I beg leave to refer to a few cases that have come to my notice during the last ten days, during our Circuit Court, which has just closed and out of the numerous cases before that Court when the freedmen were interested on suits for their last years wages not one case was tried. The freedmen were here urging that their cases might be heard, but when any one was indicted for some small offence and there was a prospect of sending them to the penitentiary the case was promptly called and tried. I know thirteen cases where the freedmen brought suit for last years wages and they were allowed $100.00 each by Squire R.S. Thomas for their wages. The plaintiff appealed to the Circuit on all thirteen cases and they failing to get a hearing and not seeing any prospect ahead when they would come forward so to the person for whom they had labored for during the year 1865. They sacrificed their wages and debts and took twenty dollars.  The highest received only thirty dollars for the entire years work. I know of many instances where persons have hired negroes for the present year and are now refusing to pay them