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[[stamp]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamp]] 

A. 29 Vol. 1 1870
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY.
Room 12, No. 39 Park Row,
[[strikethrough]] New York [[/strikethrough]]
New Orleans, La. Feb. 24th 1870

We hope to be in Washington ere long

For Freedmen's Education and Southern Work, Address
Rev. James B. Simmons, Cor. Sec'y.

Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard
Dear Sir. We seem to be in fair prospect of writing the Home & Free Mission work at this place. By the blessing of God, your decided wish that we should be agreed, may prove to be a means of grant to your Boys. brethren!! If so, we shall thank God. If not, you will of course help us in our work here without any further delay.

Your pledge to duplicate what we raise has greatly cheered & inspired us. It has helped us in raising large sums. In the possible closing up or transfer of the Bureau work, do not forget to reserve enough to balance all we do. Since I saw you we have rec'd verbal pledges for about $25,000. This added to the $13,000, before raised, enables us to hope that we may be able to draw on you for from $75,000 to $100,000 before we get through.

[[margin]] We mean to settle on one important or central point in each Stae where we will concentrate our work. This is our policy. We are agree & determined in it. [[/margin]]

Very aff James B. Simmons
(OVER.)