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No. 75

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
Head Quarters Assistant Commissioner, State of Virginia,
Richmond, Va., March 21st 1866.

Maj. General O.O. Howard
Commissioner &c

General

I am informed that the authorities of Charles City County have assessed a Poll Tax of three dollars ($3.00) on all male person over twenty one years of age, in addition to this the state imposes a Poll Tax of twenty eight cents.

I have instructed all officers of the Bureau to investigate the subject of taxation in the different counties and report. I think it not unreasonable to suppose that the plan of exorbitant taxation may be resorted to for the purpose of making the Freedmen support their own poor. It is certainly "taxation without representation." I would respectfully ask for authority to instruct the Freedmen not to pay county taxes until

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