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Large numbers of them, rather than break up and go away, preferred to struggle along and do without rations, until the recent terribly cold weather set in,  which forced them to make known their circumstances and beg for help. During the holidays, the schools were suspended, and the teachers commenced visiting the people in their homes. The result of their labors and visitations is described in the report of Mr. Paine, Supt., herewith enclosed.

The scenes of destitution and suffering therein described, are fully corroborated by my clerks, who, during the past week have devoted a good share of their time in investigating the cases reported, and ministering to the wants of the needy. 

The cabins of the freedmen being so open, many of them without floors, and their privileges for getting a supply of wood, being almost wholly cut off, except by paying exhorbitant prices; supplies of clothing and shoes, being comparatively next to nothing, all contributed to force upon us the sad state of suffering noticed in the "past script."

Last year, we were furnished with wood from the Govt. yard, to supply the destitute, and

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-17 20:15:16 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-18 10:23:56 to remove a misplaced "s" and while here, I put lines between the paragraphs for ease of reading.