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reason that I had contracted with the former owners for the services of two of the negroes & it would evidently not be right for me to pay both former owner & negro for the portion of the year from the beginning to date of the surrender of the Confederate armies & the re-establishment of the authority of the U.S.  In other words the points I present are these.  Do I pay the hired negroes for the whole year, or the former owner to the time of the surrender & the negroes for the remainder of the year?

Am I required to pay those who were formerly mine, under my contract, for the whole year, or only from the time of the surrender?

Respectfully yours
Gustavus Y. Orr.

R. 28/65.