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of Freedmen are inclined to give fair and impartial trials so far as the presiding judges are concerned - In case of one colored man the jury found a verdict of guilty after being charged by the judge to the contrary in the plainest terms possible the Judge even remarked to the jury that he wished he could instruct them otherwise - the court granted a new trial - the man will be convicted on a new trial as the inditement will be made good - still it shows the feeling of the jury to have been against a strict compliance with civil law - (It is very difficult to get a local magistrate to attend to complaints of colored men - I have yet to hear of an instance in which the complaint of a freedman against a whiteman has been taken up unless under instructions from this office.)
In compliance with Circular No. 11 C.S. from Hd. Qrs. Asst. Com'r State of Va. I have registered during the month 544 Couples of freedpeople as married by the State Act of February 27 1866. - making a total of registry for the Co. of 721 Couples - Total number of children recognized by the Father as his 1986 or an average of 2 3/4 children to each married

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-27 20:50:16