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NARA 157 

Brandon Miss Decr 23. 1867.

Brvt Major Thomas H. Norton
Sub Asst Comms.

Sir
Your official letter dated Jackson Decr 21, 1867 to which you refer Marcus Walker, freedman, in his complaint in a settlement of this year's operations with Thomas Thompson to a Board of Arbitration under Circulars No 22 and 24, was this day decided by the Undersigned chosen as arbitrators. Ed Jack by Marcus Walker, J M Jaynes by Thomas Thompson and Saml P Water as the third party by the others. The Board met as above constituted, and it had before it all the written contracts, and deed of the freedmen, Marcus and John interested in the cultivation of the crops_ These [[strikethrough]] two [[strikethrough]] written contracts were read in the presence of these freedmen, and they acknowledged that, they were correct and as they understood them. The amounts of the years product were exhibited to them_ The amt of the cotton raised_ The No of Bushels of corn fodder_ potatoes and the sales and the value in the market since produced and each party interested acknowledged that this exhibit was just. honest, fact and equitable. Outside of the written contract we examined, the freedmen those interested in the proceeds of the Crops, and they could not deny the justice of the settlement. But they said that they did not labor as they might_ that there was much idleness in the place_ Much time lost_ and that none did their duty and made the time contracted for good_ This place had no cotton worm (which materially injured other places in the county). and the shortness of the crop was owing entirely to the want of industry and the loss of time by the laborers_ The arbitrators therefore after a careful examination of the contracts and the testimony of laborers

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