Viewing page 266 of 286

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

pretty generally. At one time a large number of colored people were gathered here; there are at the present time only about 150 colored people, men, women and children located within the corporate limits of the town. They are all at work at something, and not a case of vagrancy among them.

The crop in that vicinity were very short last year and the people are very poor, Capt. Kendrick who has lately inspected the condition of affairs at that point, recommends that clothing be issued to the most destitute people, they not having the money wherewith to purchase a sufficient supply of clothing to make themselves comfortable. The Agent, Mr. Melcher has received a large Box of clothing from New Hampshire for gratuitous distribution, which he is now issuing to them, but it will not be sufficient. The planters are making arrangements to put more land under cultivation than they had last year. The freedpeople have greater confidence in the power and inclination of the Civil Authorities to protect them now, than formerly. A new Magistrate has been recently appointed who is disposed to, and has so far, succeeded in giving them that protection, which at this point they have stood so much in need of.