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matter. Yet I have not been able to find one who expected to resort to force to obtain either real or imaginary rights.
Occasionally, however, I have found planters who while admitting no danger here effect to believe at some other point an insurrection will certainly take place, without indeed the negroes are all disarmed, meetings of them prohibited, militia companies organized for patrol duty, and every thing made ready for such an event. If there are any who really believe an insurrection probable, it is on account of the unsettled state of mind among the freedmen who refuse to make contracts for another year, for the reason that many believe if they make contracts they will be branded and made slaves again, other believe they can make great fortunes by renting land or working for themselves in some way, no one knows how, and perhaps others still believe that the Government will do something for them and desire to wait until Christmas to see what will really happen.
A small number of the citizens seem to think this hesitancy on the part of the Freedmen indicates an intention to take the power into their