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had been imprisoned for stealing have been released on bail— making the whole number against whom charges are pending seven — All of them men. 

[[strikethrough]] Of [[/strikethrough]] It is a noteworthy fact that six of these are of those pre-mature farmers giving one fourth of the crop for the use of the land, to whom I have referred in each of my previous Reports. The seventh man at the time of committing the supposed crime was not working at all — One of the offenders against whom the evidence is very strong is a man of great industry who formerly bore a very good character. His case is of this nature and will indicate to you the mischievous effects of the system on the character of Freedmen who might otherwise be an example to people of their color, teaching them to advance in the way of intelligence and social progress. 

Having enough of money to buy an old horse and some provisions for his family he did so, and started farming for himself on the land of a Miss Rainey — but he had not counted on the expense of keeping the horse, and, his money being all exhausted, he saw himself reduced to the necessity of stealing or of seeing his horse die before his eyes of starvation — As was very natural he chose the former — and was caught in taking fodder from the stack of a neighbor. 

Ever since my arrival in Dinwiddie I have denounced this system of farming for themselves so congenial to the fancies of the negroes, and so much lauded by some of their professed

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-26 21:53:04