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[[attached document]]
[[?]] New Orleans Sept. 27, 1865. In the city paper [[?]] and an order No. 15, purporting to [[?]] order of Thomas W. Conway, Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, which reads as follows:
Headquarters, Bureau of Refugees,
Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
State of Louisiana, New Orleans, Sept. 23, 1865
Circular No. 15]
Whenever any judicial officer of the State arraigns and tries freedmen for alleged fault, and shows by his proceedings that he is disposed to deal as justly with this class of persons as with white persons, no interference by any of the agents of this Bureau will be allowed. The co-operation of such officers assists rather than retards the work of this Bureau.
Officers of the Bureau will only interfere with the civil authorities when the testimony of the freedmen is denied, or when, by reason of old codes or disregard of new ones, impartial justice is denied on account of the color of the person applying for it.
  The officers of the State will everywhere be invited (and they are hereby invited) to aid this Bureau in administering justice to the freedmen, and in promoting the peace and industry of the country.
Each State officer who accepts this invitation, and who is willing to receive the testimony of freedmen, without prejudice on account of color or origin, is requested to make the same known, in writing, addressed to the Assistant Commissioner, at his headquarters, in New Orleans.
  In all cases where State officers will not treat the freedmen in this manner, the duly authorized officers of this Bureau will establish, in connection with their offices, tribunals for the trial of all cases where freedmen are interested, in accordance with the law of Congress, act March 3d, 1864, and the orders of Major General Howard in pursuance thereof.
By order of Thomas W. Conway,
Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Refugees,
Freedmen and Abandoned Lands.
D.G Fenno
1st Lieutenant and A.A.A.G.
As a member of the judiciary, sworn to support the Constitution of the United States and of this State, I solemnly protest against the assumption of Mr. Conway, in his interference with the judiciary of this State. I emphatically deny the right assumed. The Constitution of the United States and of this State guarantee to every man the benefit of a trial by due course of law, and the greatest tyrant, who has lived for eight hundred years has never assumed nor even threatened to take from the duly constituted courts of the land their legitimate functions and jurisdiction.
By my free consent, as a member of the judiciary, I will never surrender one particle of its independence; and I now solemnly appeal to the restorer of his country and guardian of the Constitution, Andrew Johnson, president of the United States, and the magnanimous people thereof, to save the judiciary of the country and of this State from being overridden and trodden under foot by courts and persons unknown to the Constitution and laws of the land.
E. Abell,
Judge of the First District Court of New Orleans  [[/attached document]]

Head Quarters,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
State of Louisiana.
New Orleans, Septem 29th 1865


O.O. Howard
Commissioner etc.
War Department,
Washington, D.C.

General:
I beg leave herewith to enclose correspondence which has passed between the [[?]] and myself, relative to the circular which was intended to invite [[?]] to assist this Bureau.
[[?]] a copy of a letter published with [[?]] of this morning from Judge Abell of the First [[strikethrough]] Third [[/strikethrough]] District Court of the Parish of Orleans.
General Sheridan called upon me this morning and informed me that he thought my circular entirely broken, and that Judge Abell's paper was simply an insult and a threat for which, if he commanded the Department of Louisiana, he would send him to Ship Island.
General Canby thinks that the Governor, in jus

Transcription Notes:
See page 23 for complete text of letter.