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Norfolk Dec. 28th 1866 -

W.P. Austin
Capt & Supt 1st Dist Va.

Sir -

Agreeably to your suggestion of yesterday, in relation to the proper salary for the Atty. for the Bureau  R.F & A.L. I herein submit the following statement for your consideration.

On examining the question I find it extremely difficult to arrive at any intelligent answer without first knowing the prescribed duties of the attorney.  Should the duties of an Atty. be limited to necessitous cases of a criminal nature occuring only in the city and county of Norfolk and city of Portsmouth, wherein the party defendant is unable to compensate counsel in his defence, then it would be easy to arrive at some intelligent conclusion in the matter.  For supposing there averaged but 2 cases per week before mayors and magistrates, then if counsel fee should be $10 or even $5.00 each, a pretty low figure, it would be easy to figure up an arrived amt.

Add to that, and calling the above item but about one fourth of the work to be done, (before examining Courts and Juries) and we can approximate very nearly the salary that ought to be paid.  But if the prescribed duties of the Atty should include also necessitous and deserving cases in civil actions, both for Plfs and Defts, and also to counsel [[strikethrough]] to [[/strikethrough]] parties seeking