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0003

Office Asst Commr. Bureau R.F. and A.L.
Tallahassee Fla. February 19th 1866

Major Gen'l O.O. Howard
Commissioner Bureau R.F. and A.L.

General,

I have the honor to forward Special Orders 15 and 26 Par. III 1866, and make a special report in connection with them - 

Complaints have been since my arrival continually made to me, confirmed by inspecting officers, that there was an accumulation of colored people at Jacksonville and Fernandina by far too large, and further, that they were indolent, and many vagrants among them.  I was also continually importuned to issue rations to them under the plea that they could not procure labor to support themselves.  I knew this to be false and that no such necessity existed except for such as could not labor on account of age or disease.  I have been as continually importuned by planters from nearly all parts of the state for laborers, and repeated trials convinced me that the able bodied people at Jacksonville and Fernandina would not work. Being unwilling to countenance indolence in any portion of the State & still more so to support professional paupers, I sent a special Agent to Jacksonville on the 1st of Feb'y under Sp. Order 15 - with instructions by letter to go to Fernandina as soon as he had accomplished his work at Jacksonville, and also reduce the Freed people of that place to a working cash basis.  The work is progressing finely at Jacksonville,