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Joshua Cobb, Supt Montgomery Co. Reports Jany 31st 67 "In relation to contracts both white and blacks seem to think since the courts are now open to colored persons, there is no particular necessity for their having contracts between them ratified by the Supt of the Bureau, consequently few contracts compared with last year have been approved by me, yet I have a great deal of trouble in settling disputes over last years contracts. A very large portion of our colored population, this year are cultivating farms on the shares. There is evidently a great lack of forethought, and thriftiness among our colored population. How can it be remedied?"

J. H. Gregory, Supt Columbia Maury Co. Tenn reports.
"With regard to the contracts approved at this Office I have taken great care to have them carefully read over to, and thoroughly understood by the Freedmen so that they know exactly what duties they had to perform.

I have only approved  contracts where the Freedmen get one half of the crop, the employer furnishing everything necessary to cultivate same, or where they get a salary, say, from Eight to Fifteen Dollars per month, rations, quarters, &c included. All others I have rejected, simply because at the end of the year the Freedmen would come out in