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obstacles in the way of extending our system of Schools, in all its vigor and completeness, to the colored people, in the want of funds, as well for the payment of teachers, as building school houses.  Some members of the Board having learned that there are funds within the control of the Freedman's Bureau, that may be appropriated to the erection of school-houses in this city for the benefit of the colored children, have requested me to address you this letter of inquiry, to ascertain what aid it is in the power of the Bureau to give to this object, and this must be my apology for addressing you"  x    x   x    x   x  

"I shall be  happy to communicate in furtherance of the great and important duty of extending education to all classes of our people".

There is some ground of hope then for the opinion that the State is willing to accept and support a system of common schools vesting for its foundation upon the principle now almost universally recognized that it is the primary duty of every community to provide ample means of instruction for every child within its borders; that this principle is imperative, and indispensable to the well being of the State, to disregard it is to endanger the lives, property and peace of its future citizens; to engraft it upon

Transcription Notes:
unable to read words Edited, but one [[?]] remaining at the end. Engraft = to establish