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21

"uncultivated for want of labor and capital.

"Mixed (white and black) labor will not succeed - Germans & Irish are clannish, must have society and a church. I think black labor will do as much for the county as any other

"There is no objection to the education of the freedmen, but an aversion to its being done by public legislation. This county was always opposed to any free schools. We hear bad reports of New England teachers in the South; colored teachers would do better."

Judge Henley, Chief Magistrate of County of Matthews stated that Judge Bell was highly qualified to judge of the condition of the freedmen, and that he seconded his views entirely.

Judge Dixon, County Magistrate, himself formerly a refugee, and elected by refugees, thought; "Whites are not yet ready to take negro testimony; I have known them to object before the Freedmen's Court, (of which he was a member) to the testimony of freedmen being taken against them. There is a growing sentiment in favor of educating the colored race; in all these matters the people follow leaders who think for them.