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4

they seek a little work in the field, cultivate a half acre of ground, and thus squeeze along, getting odd jobs and bad habits from day to day. 

Hampton and Slabtown are full of such: they are living on Bureau land and cannot pay rent, also on the lands of residents and serve them likewise.

The oyster trade does more harm than good, it is demoralizing, is ruinous to habits of steady industry: it enables people to live without work.  This is the general rule; there are, of course, exceptions to it.

The condition of the Freedmen in this county is therefore unsatisfactory
1st Because they are unsettled with no prospect of settlement elsewhere.

2nd Because there is no adequate provision for the destitutes who will be set adrift Dec 31st 66.

3rd Because the oystering and fishing interests are not conductive to their improvement.

I propose to meet the first difficulty by freely circulating among the half cultivated counties of my District information that labor can be had here