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Office Supt. 4th Dist. Va
Gordonsville Va Dec 15 1865

Respectfully returned to Col. O Brown Asst Comr. 
I am the party, referred to in this communication as holding an election at Culpeper C.H. for members of the Freedmen's Court on the 25th ult_ That portion of the communication which charges me with being in collusion with "would be Leading citizens" & having been controlled in my actions by any citizen or citizens. is an absolute unequivocal falsehood_ It is true as stated that John. N. Snyder was the choice of a large majority of the Colored men_ I was informed by Capt. Earl Pierce [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] the Asst. Supt. at Culpepper that this man was entirely unfit for the position, & that his reputation was such in the Community that no respectable man would consent to be associated with him in the formation of the court_ That he (Snyder) was living with a prostitute negress_ That on this account & because of his general immorality - he was not recognized by any respectable man.

I was confirmed in this opinion by the absolute refusal of several persons suggested by the citizens to represent them in the court, to serve with Snyder_ This refusal was communicated to me & was based on the facts above set forth_ The colored people asked me to tell them the objection raised to Mr Snyder_ Not wishing to publicly proclaim his shame, I simply said that charges had been made against Mr Snyder which if true rendered him objectionable, and advised another selection_ No action was taken with regard to my suggestion, After the meeting was dismissed I found that no court could be organized with Mr Snyder as a member_ The fact that he lived in a state of prostitution with a negress was everywhere affirmed, and was admitted by the colored men themselves. They however insisted that Mr Snyder only did a little more publicly what nearly every Southern man did privately and that therefore he ought not be objectionable on that account

When Genl Howard was here, he told me himself that the members of the courts should be honorable & respectable men, who had the confidence of the community_ Whatever be the facts of the case in regard to Mr Snyder (of which I know nothing personally) he has not the confidence of the Community and consequently does not fill the bill_

Not willing that the interests of the colored people should be compromised by being represented by a man of Snyders reputation_ I called another meeting of the more prominent colored men of the Town_ I presume there were 30 or 40 present_ Not one citizen was there_ & so far from this meeting being called at the instigation of the white citizens, I do not believe that any citizen of Culpeper knew of the meeting till it was over.  Lieut. Bly of the 90th N.Y. Vols. & myself were the only white men present_ I advised the colored men who were assembled to select another man to represent them & told them my reasons. They acquiesced & chose a Mr Geo Williams. who from the first was the favorite of a number of the more prominent colored men, & was the second choice of Mr Snyders supporters_ On this I set aside the election of Mr Snyder. & acquiesced in the appointment of Mr Williams, who according to Mr Snyder's own testimony is a "perfect Gentleman"_ To you Col, it is unnecessary for me to defend myself against the charges of sacrificing the interests of the freedmen to the desire of gaining personal popularity with the whites_ I have only to add that while I court no favor from former Rebels I will not knowingly & voluntarily be brought into official relations with whoremongers or miscegenationists.

T. Frank P Crandon
Capt. & Supt.
(42)

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