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Office Asst. Supt. R.F. and A.L.
Northampton Co. Va Feb 1st 1866

Captain: 
In obedience to circular No 6. Head Ofrs. Asst. Commissioner Richmond Va.
I have the honor to report, that during the month of January the business done at this office was considerable: the Freedmen as a general thing are disposed to hire themselves by the year and laborers can be obtained in large quantities for a shorter period, they prefer to make contracts for a part of the year that they may be free when the demand for labor, in harvest time, brings an advance of wages.
A great No. of the laboring class in the Co. have made contracts for the year: they do not seem exorbitant in their demands now and many contracts have been filed in this office for the entire year. The average price thus far is for field hands ten dollars per month with food and quarters, while the first class of labor brings fifteen dollars. I have no cases of disorderly conduct to report, the Freedmen have conducted themselves in a praise-worthy manner and few complaints have been made, in every case wherein a white man has been concerned, the latter were to blame, and in no case has a Freedmen brought a charge which has not been legally substantiated. almost all complaints have been on account of the neglect of the employers to settle with the Freedmen. 
There seems to exist a wholesome fear of inflicting
over