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Bureau R.F. & A.L. H.d. Dn. Asst. Commr. N. Carolina,
Raleigh. N.C/ June 13, 1866. 
Major, 
I have the honor herewith to forward a report of the number of destitute persons requiring rations in this State.
It is my opinion that there is sufficient food in North Carolina for the consumption of the people, both white & black, until the growing crops are available:_ that this food is not distributed equally among the different counties, according to the wants of the people, but that the State itself could, by proper efforts, provide for the destitute; that most if not all the counties, whose duty it is to act first in that matter, could provide each for its own destitute, & that while such is my opinion with respect to the capacity of the counties severally, & of the State at large, still I believe that without government assistance, there will be suffering at some localities, which will be due however more to the scarcity of money than any other cause.
It is to be remarked, however, from the expenses of last year in the matter of issuing rations to destitute people, that there will be no lack of that class of persons, so long as rations are issued gratuitously, even if there is a large