Viewing page 28 of 268

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

cheated out of the proceeds of their labor and advantage
is taken of their ignorance, but I am not able to say, that
they are worse used, in that respect, than white people would be, if equally ignorant - In the foregoing statement, I speak only of the business men and planters, there is a large class of white people, owning little or no property and less reputation, who loose no opportunity to express their hatred of the freedmen, both by words and actions.

There is but one school for freedpeople kept here, 
numbering nearly one hundred pupils, I have no doubt there would be enough to make another school, were accommodations provided The colored population manifest a great interest in the School and a strong desire to learn. Among the whites it is very generally regarded with distrust.

The business of the Office has been the examination
and approval of Contract for the present year, and the
settlement of disputes, arising under Contract of last year, 
this with advice and counsel to freedmen in difficulties, 
among themselves and with white people, has taken my time,
so that I have not yet visited the plantations in the County which I hope to do in the course of the next month.

My office hour are from 9. a m to 3 p.m, the business in the office has been attended to so far without regard to hours

Finding my duties as Post and Regimental Commander to require all my time and attention I have detailed 2nd Lt
J P Richardson 26th Infantry as a Staff Officer to transact
in my name the duties of this Office, who has not been
absent at any time since assuming its duties.

The troops at this post are Hd Qrs and 3 companies
6th U.S. Cavalry and Hd Qrs and (eight) companies
26th U.S. Infantry, I do not think the freedpeople would
be secure in the rights guaranteed them by the Civil Rights
Bill if all the troops were removed.