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Belton Bell Cty Texas March 5th
Genl Gregory
Sir
   In December last I made application to our County Court to have some  orphan negroes bound to me and was informed by the Court that I could do so.  I took such initiatory steps as the Statute of the State provides in such cases, intending to have it done at Jany Court, in the mean time our Chief Justice informs me, instructions have been received from you suspending, for the present, all such applications. This has been done, as I understand, in consequence of frauds having been committed in some portions of the State.  As it is not my intention to commit a fraud, and as there are circumstances connected with the case with  renders it necessary that it should be acted on at once, I take the liberty of addressing this letter to your and requesting that permission may be granted me to carry my application into effect.  I will, briefly, sate the circumstances and you can there draw your own conclusion. I have these orphan negroes , two of them thirteen year old, the other only four. The two older ones have parents living in Virginia, the youngest has no parent living, and neither of them have any relations in Texas.  These negroes have