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Office Asst. Supt. Sussex Co.  Va,
April 14th 1866,

Capt. Stuart Barnes
Petersburg Va,
 
Captain
I have the honor to submit a few remarks for your information, and consideration. 
  
After a careful examination of Circular letter, dated War Dept. Bureau R.F. & A.L, Oct. 4th 1865. & Office Asst. Supt. 2nd Dist Va, Dec. 2nd 1865, I felt it my duty to ascertain if possible whether any orphan or indigent Freedmen would be admitted to the Co. Poor House on the same terms that Free blacks were before the war, or whether they would be admitted at all. The president of the Board, (it being in session)informed me that no freedman could be admitted to the Poor House, that the Government that set them free, would have to support them, and that he would not vote to support a white pauper if he were a Yankee, &c. I have no one on my hands at present who are unable to support themselves, but my object was to ascertain whether freedmen would be admitted to the Poor House, should needcessity require it, and the construction I put on the order above refered to, is that it means just what it says, "that each county, parish, township, or city, shall care for and provide for its own poor." I have conversed with many citizens since I have been here and all have opposed the principle of issueing rations, as there was no means of discriminating between the needy, and the lazy, indolent freedmen, that were rations issued to the needy, two or three of the vagrant class would live off the one needy freedman; there is already a demand for labor, and were I to commence issuing rations, I would have no means of ascertaining who were the 

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