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Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lans,
Headquarters Superintendent, Ninth District, Va.
Fort Monroe, Va., April 3rd 1866

Col O Brown.
Asst. Commissioner

Colonel:
I have the honor to comply with Par VI. Circular No 10 - from Hd. Qrs. Asst Commissioner State of Virginia as follows.

Only in the Counties of York and Elisabeth City has there been a fair test of the return of the State authorities in criminal cases in which colored persons are involved; and the result is a deplorable failure.  For York County the authorities have declared that they would prefer the Freedmen's Court should continue jurisdiction over criminal cases and in Elisabeth County they have utterly refused to act.

They are without suitable and sufficient officers to make arrests, without places of confinement, and, I fully believe are not hearty and earnest in the discharge of their duties. I regret to state that 

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