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I give you the whole of this extract as containing the view of a sensible and loyal man in a situation enabling him to observe and judge of the operations of which he speaks - and if half he says is true you can well imagine how such a state of things must contribute to engender the bad feeling to which your reports refer - It seems to me, and I would respectfully submit the suggestion to your consideration, and if you approve hope you will so recommend - that if the Government meant to retain possession of these farms, immediate measures should be taken to turn them into money by confiscation and sale; or if not that they be delivered to their former owners or disposed of on their account.

In a former letter to you already alluded to I expressed the opinion that the Act of Congress creating your Bureau was not designed to authorize its operations in loyal states or among colored persons therein, freed by its own laws and not by the progress of our armies - I forbear to recur to that suggestion at present not only because I am sure the existence in your