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Copy State of Louisiana Mayoralty of New Orleans City Hall - 19th Dec. 1865 Bvt. Maj. Genl. A Baird. Asst. Comr. Freedmen's Bureau &c. &c. Dear General: I offer you my most respectful and sincere felicitations on your labor contract programme which in my opinion exactly fulfils every reasonable expectation and just requirement of employer and employed. The legislation already had on the question in the General Assembly is of a limping, hesitating character, as if there was behind the bills a determination to retain inflexibly the spirit and substance of slavery, while ostensibly, both were freely and frankly abandoned. Your programme, so opportune, intelligible and right, will prevent disappointment, which the public might otherwise have had cause to complain of: especially, as there is little doubt the