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Courts.  Especially the County Justices are not to be relied upon: and if carried into these Courts, the expense to the freedmen would be very great, as each person would have to bring a separate suit against all Planter and employ a lawyer or other person to conduct it for him - if he did not, he would not have the shadow of a chance of recovering his claim - The Agent of the Bureau saves all this to the freed people, he acts as Attorney for all the hands as against the Planter - examines the claims - allows just offsets - makes proper deductions for last time - and after ascertaining the amount justly due the freedman, settles the claim in accordance with equity, and no quibble of the law interfering to prevent justice, compels the payment of the debt.
Since the promulgation of G.O. No 4 current series I find greater difficulty in settling such claims.  Many planters seem to think that the power of the Bureau is gone, and have openly defied its Agents.  Some have positively refused to come to my office to make settlements and until I am allowed to compel their attendance the freedmen will loose their hard earned wages.

Orphans
There have been brought to my notice during