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Yorktown, Va. Jan. 2, 1866.

Maj. Genl. O O Howard,
Bureau of Refugees, &c
 
Sir:
When I drew attention to the fact that a colored man had been elected to sit in the "Freedmen's Court," for this county, I was not aware that a similar case had occurred elsewhere, or that it had the approval of the Bureau.

I have only to say, that so far as the action of the Court in this County is concerned, it is simply a burlesque on law and justice, as might be expected from the constitution of the Court. Churchill, the Superintendent, I am informed, came out, and served for two years, as cook to the carpenters employed at Fortress Monroe, whence he was promoted to his present position. The colored man, as I have had occasion to notice, has no conception of the difference between a judge and an advocate — nor any idea of the limits of his jurisdiction. I have seen a case where he exercised Orphans' Court jurisdiction — decided on the validity of a marriage, the inheritance of property, &c. all in the most absurd manner possible.

Of course no intelligent White man would have any thing to do with such a court. The

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