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before the courts, and when they do there is apt to be meagre justice. Doubltess magistrates and many jurors may incline to impartiality, and I know southern lawyers who will spring to the defense of a criminal without counsel. The point I make is, that though even the white man has no absolute guarantee of justice, the colored man has far less assurance or chance of it than he. It is an axiom hereabouts that "a darkie will lie"; his word goes for very little before the courts. It is perhaps the extreme application of this that makes the trouble.      

Two colored schools in Williamsburg conducted in a church building are the only ones in this County. There should be one at Grove Landing, and one at Chickahominy Church. Efforts are now being made to build a school house at the latter named place; assistance from the Bureau will be applied for, and is, I think richly merited. 

I am compelled to report unfavorably upon the general condition of freedmen in this County. This should not be so: large tracts of land lie uncultivated, yet many laborers are idle, or but partially employed. The freedmen are getting ahead very slowly if at all. The rate of wages is discouraging - 50 cts per day 

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