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warned of threats to take my life, on account of these opinions — And yet, I have been gravely told that some, doubtless well-meaning, but mistaken persons (who ought to know better from their opportunity for observation), have represented, — that Union men could live in perfect security and speak freely their sentiments in this community. 

Outrages are daily committed upon both Freedmen and women in this county — I am daily appealed to by colored persons of both sexes for redress against the injustice and violence of employers, and in many cases — this injustice is accompanied, by beating and assaulting defenceless women — But I am powerless to remedy the evil, I can only refer them to the nearest Magistrate, and when it is reccollected, that these civil officers, share in a large degree the general feeling of prejudice and oppression to the Freedmen — and when it is remembered, that they also — are employers interested to that extent in their own decisions, it is easy to perceive how these complaints usually end — Frequent complaints are made to me, that employers refuse to enter into written contracts with the Freedmen for service, and where written contracts are entered into, a large majority of them are utterly worthless in a Court of Justice, because the state Laws are not complied with in drawing and witnessing them and but few are stamped — In many cases the compensation stipulated to be paid, is grossly inadequate and unjust — In all such cases which have come under my observation, I have [[declined?]] to approve 

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