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how this Court deals with such cases when brought before them, and they are perfectly conscious that the system is, in itself, pernicious & in fact emphatically forbidden, but still they are unwilling to curb their long uncontrolled passions.

One of my greatest difficulties at present appears to be in trying to defend the Freedmen from being actually swindled in their dealings with the Whites. The longing desire of the Freedman to be at all times bartering his horse, cart & whatever goods he may possess, give great opening to this treachery, and, nearly in all cases of such barter, I find that he is invariably overreached to a more or less extent, but when these practices come to my knowledge, I always cancel the exchange and compel the return of the goods so bartered.

I hear of very few complaints of Freedmen breaking, or of even of their not fulfilling in the very spirit, the contracts which they have made, but still more rarely, when their contracts have been signed before the officers of this Bureau. When so done, they seem to attach more weight to it.

The schools, I am glad to have it in my power to say are conducted in a very florishing manner. The number of scholars are daily increasing in this town, and I have now in preparation the setting up of two more schools, at a distance of 16 miles, to be taught, for the present, by daughters of farmers, and I feel confident from the assurances I have received, that on opening day, there will be upwards of one hundred Scholars. The proficiency made by the Scholars is very satisfactory - for example - three weeks

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