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The idea of punishing the former Slave, by beating cannot be eradicated from the minds of these people; They will not submit to the trial of[[strikethrough]] by [[/strikethrough]] them  without coporeal punishment, and they scorn at the idea of their being tried for offences committed as the white man must by law be. 

Openly they threat the lives of the negroes by shooting. They "wish them all in Hell" or all away with the "dam yankee Government" and "the cursed Congress."

One man upon the late election day wished "every man in hell who a U.S. Gov't Office and said that he never took the oath of allegiance and that he never would" This was in the presence of the U.S. Ass't Assessor Int'l Revenue, a civil magistrate and other citizens. I immediately requested a civil magistrate to have him arrested, which was done after a long consultation among the two or three magistrates the Sheriff and the Commonwealth attorney. The man then making an appology the Ass't assor made a request to me to let him off for the present which I did 

A civil magistrate said I had no right to call upon the civil authorities to make the arrest, that this was a free country and he would not issue a warrant upon such a request nor even obey the instructions of Maj. Genl A.H. Terry concerning your circular No 10 of date March 12th 1866. People are becoming more and more rampant as civil laws gain the sway

Very Respectfully 
Your Obd't Servt
Henry K.W. Ayres
Lt V.R.C & Asst Supt. & Westmorland & Richmond Co's Va.

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-28 09:50:47 adding [[strikethrough]] word and some minor corrections including a [?], needing interpretation or at least double brackets.