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The first topic discussed by the Commissioners is as follows.

FEELING TOWARDS THE BUREAU
[[??]] found feeling toward the Bureau much the same as [[illegible]]

It is true I think that there is an almost universal desire to have the Bureau removed on the part of all classes except white union men and freedmen. I believe no freedman could be induced to express such a desire though many in different parts of the State were questioned upon the subject. But the source of this feeling on the part of any class is not correctly stated in the above paragraph. I have not seen in any newspaper nor heard from any citizen the first intimation of uneasiness on account of competition [[strikethrough]] of [[/strikethrough]] of officers of the Bureau with citizens who are employing freedmen. I have conversed with prominent men on this subject and instead of objecting they have without exception highly approved the course of those who were willing to use their means in such a way as to benefit both planters and freedmen alike. The great want of one class was capital, of the other well paid employment. The farmer could not cultivate his land without means to pay for stock and labor. The freedman would not and could not enter into contract to labor without some reasonable assurance of fair wages. The two classes thus stood aloof mutually distrustful. At the close of last