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Civil authorities, that their statement is correct.-

Hundreds of little petty accounts are due from "Freedman" to "Freedman", or from "white" to "Freedman", upon which the civil authorities will take no action, the several amounts to be sure are small but still it is of the utmost consequence to the "Freedman" financially as well as to instill into them the fact that if they contract debts, a law controlling them, will compell payment. It may be a sweeping assertion yet nevertheless it is true that the "Freedmen" of this county have now no court to which they can apply for justice and assistance, even if the

"Civil Authorities"

were so disposed, they have not the means in their power. Their authority, as before reported, exists only in name. An old building is here which they use as a Court-House. They have no jail, or place of confinement, the "Sheriff" is eight miles distant, the "Justice" six miles, the "County Clerk", three miles; no office is kept open here of any discription whatever, for the transaction of business and if any emergency should require their immediate action, hours, if not days must elapse before their

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-27 18:04:35