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388

July 31st.

Sir
Your communication of 20th inst stating that you were informed that the county of Steward was about being placed under Martial law and requesting to be informed of the necessity for such a step has been received. The Ass't Comm' regrets to say that the Citizens of Stewart County have failed to appreciate or recognize the conciliatory disposition of the Bureau, and that although the Civil Authorities of the County have been repeatedly called upon to enforce the laws and secure justice to all citizens and have been offered Military assistance to this and if desired by them, still they have not only failed to do their duty, but have even joined with the rioters in murdering freedmen after they were arrested & bound - Judge Robert Walton actually killing with his own hands a freedman who had been arrested & bound by the sheriff of the county on a warrant issued by the Judge who was allowed to escape & go unpunished by the civil authorities - the offense of the negro being

Transcription Notes:
inst means of this month The one [?] that remains... I suspect it is a word that is split from the line above, yet I still can't figure it out. thisenet? doesn't make sense :( -- similar to "and" in other parts of the letter