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870

October 5th

Sir.
Your communication of the 1st inst stating that Henry County has quite a Character, and further it is reported that there is an armed band of men who make it their business to encroach on the rights of freedpeople, that these reports have gone forward through J. R. Phillips Agent of the Bureau, and making general charges against Mr Phillips, is received, and I am directed to say in reply; 

That, repeated instances of maltreatment of and injustice to freedpeople in Henry County, have given that Co. an unenviable notoriety. 

That the victims of some of these barbarities, perpetrated by lawless men in that Co. whom the Civil Authorities have made no effort to bring to Justice, have come to the knowledge, and under the personal observation, of Officers on duty in this Office: 

That, Mr Phillips, Agent of the Bureau in that Co. has been once assaulted; and his Office fired into by residents of the Co: 

That, Mr Phillips has not reported these things to this Office – except when instructed to: 

That, specific charges against any