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Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & A. Lands Office Supt. 9" Dist. State of Va. Fort Monroe Va. Feb. 21" 1866 Circular No. 1 The attention of the Asst. Supt. in Dist. No. 9 Va is invited to the fact that large numbers of Freedmen within their respective sub-districts, are without employment, and the necessity of urging them to rent lands, or enter into contracts to labor for a term of months with owners of lands, for a fair and equitable compensation. It is the duty of the Asst. Supt. to protect and assist the Freedmen in making contracts holding them to a faithful fulfillment of the same, and to see that they are not defrauded nor imposed upon by their employers, holding them also to a strict and faithful fulfillment of their part of the contract. No contract will be considered as binding which has not been approved and recorded by the Asst. Supt. or Supt. of the Dist. nor will employers, who have failed to comply with these requirements be allowed to recover damages for the non-fulfillment of contracts not thus approved and recorded. (Signed) C.B. Wilder Capt. & Q.M. and Supt 9" Dist. Official Copy S.C. Armstrong Supt Dist Va.