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7.

them, that, as it is their official duty to provide for all the poor of the county, I shall charge them with the care and comfort of every destitute freedman whose condition shall come to my knowledge.  I have also notified them, that it is not the design of the government to support this class of persons, but to devolve that duty on the counties in which they respectively resided at the outbreak of the Rebellion.

In this sub-district there are no freedmen unable to support themselves and obtain remunerative
labor, except a few old men and women, who, by reason of extreme age, or physical infirmity, have lost the use of their limbs or their reason.  Up to this time, therefore, it has not become necessary for me to issue government rations; and it will not be, at least during the coming summer, unless these helpless old people are allowed to become a tax upon the government.

On the other hand, the overseers of the poor say they can not receive these people in their charge, as their duties are specified by statute, and this is not included among them.  At the same time they have intimated their readiness to comply with any order of the War Department, or other competent military authority, which shall impose the care of these people upon them as an additional duty.  But I am of the opinion, that without some authoratative measures on the part of the government, they will evade this duty as long as possible, in order that the county may be relieved of the expenses necessary for the support and comfort of these destitute freedmen.

So far as my knowledge extends, no freedman in this community, while in a state of slavery, regarded himself bound as

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-21 16:12:44