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negroes. I have sent cavalry to arrest the murderers but so far they have been unable to find them And even if I succeed in arresting them I do not know what I can do with them, as Gen, Canby will not allow any citizen to be tried by military commission, and the civil courts will not try cases where the negro is the only evidence against the white man. Thus you see the great difficulty under which I labor in consequence of the troops here reporting to the Department of Louisiana, where civil law is now fully restored, and where the orders of Gen, Canby may do very well, but are not at all adapted to the condition of affairs in Texas. Two soldiers were arrested and placed under guard by Commander of the Post for killing a negro on Christmas day, charges were preferred against them and application made to Gen A.J. Smith, the District commander to have a military commission appointed to try them. Meantime the civil authorities made a demand for the murderers to be tried by the farce of civil court although they were soldiers of the United States, this shows the spirit which animates the civil authorities in this part of the state. In my opinion one good regiment of colored Cavalry sent to this part of the state by Gen, Wright which should detach a company at Jefferson, Gillmer, Tyler, and Henderson, and a strict enforcement of [[strikethrough]] civil [[/strikethrough]]