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17.

worthless, was under the new law sent to the Penitentiary for twelve years.

In all of the above cases the court was probably more severe than if the parties had been white. And yet I am convinced that if the cases of Freedmen could receive as nearly an impartial hearing before the Magistrate, as before the courts, justice would be much more evenly administered.

There are certain classes of cases which it seems cannot be brought even before the Magistrates. I mean Assault and battery and the beating of Freedmen by whites. These cases are not numerous but when they do occur, especially in the country, the parties are afraid to appear against the offenders, and even if they should, no punishment would be adjudged against the offenders, for all the Justices, Judges and Jurors, still believe to a certain extent in their right to commit such offenses.

The instructions concerning contracts. The advice to the Freedmen not to enter into contracts for the year until the beginning of the present month has had a good effect. They are getting better proposals now than they could