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of me. He would protect them, & I dared not turn them out.

Upon this they declined my offer though they admitted that when I made it, they had made no engagement with any one. I then gave them notice that if they declined to work for us they must remove to make room for some one that would. After a while they moved out. That's all! #

If Mr. Malery volunteered his slanders, as would be natural from one of the bitterest secesh leaders in this Co. it seems to me just as natural for the Committee if honest enquirers after truth (as they had the time & opportunity) to have asked for an explaination.

Here as elsewhere I understand they sought information chiefly from the most influential enemies of the Bureau & its agents. Whether under orders from the President as is alleged, or of choice, is of no consequence

When it gets to that, that men high in office will connive with the enemies of the government & resort to general charges & criminations, & act upon them as true without enquiry or giving the privileges granted to the vilest criminals, for a fair opportunity for explaination & defense, I must conclude somebody is hard pushed.

The whole thing smacks of the animus of hired assassins & whisky, & therefore the chances are that [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] the President will think the Bureau is of not much account.

Yours truly
C.B. Wilder