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Warminster, Nelson Co. Va. Oct 5th 1865

To Col. O. Brown - 
Comm'r of Freedmen in Va.

Sir.)
During the late visit of Genl. Howard to Lynchburg, when he was called on officially by members of the City Counsel, I was present by invitation. On that occasion I listened with interest to the exposition of his views concerning the proper treatment of the Freedmen now in our midst. I heard him with the greater pleasure, in that, while I believed his plan, as far as set forth, worthy of general concurrence & support, he proposed also to be in search of farther information pertinent to the matter in hand; and in evidence of this, he invited an expression of opinion from the gentlemen present. On this hint several of them spoke. 

You will remember that something was also said by the undersigned, which, having been at first addressed to yourself, & afterwards at your instance repeated to Gen. H. & the officers present, was kindly received as not unworthy of consideration. These were but specimens of the results of past reflection on a subject which has engaged much of my attention, both before & since the civil contest from which the country has just emerged; and at parting you requested [[strikethrough]] further [[/strikethrough]] that I would draw up succinctly in writing the the principal of these for your farther examination. My engagements since my return have have prevented my doing so until now - And here permit me to say, that if the policy of the Government on this head is not fully matured, & if they are willing to receive suggestions from practical men, who have lived ever in contact with this race, & who will wish them well now that their own relation to them is changed, the remaining difficulties of the problem will be more likely to find a solution.  Whether what is herein proposed will have that tendency must be judged by others.
   
Some of the views of this writer have already been embodied in a printed paper to which I then took the liberty to refer you.  The changes which have since taken place in the general condition of the country, & especially in the status of these people, will render necessary corresponding changes in their treatment.  In that paper I suggested the inevitable necessity of future emancipation & removal, & looked to the Valley of the Amazon as their future home.  I then thought, & still think, that it would have been better for both parties, had such emancipation be gradual.  This, however, is no longer an open question.  They have been declared free by the act of the Government; & the problem to be solved is, how to dispose of the surplus labor thus thrown out of its regular course of employment.  For that the surplus - already large - is like to increase, there

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