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Wise Farm Princess Anne Co. Va.
November 25th 1866

Capt Wm P Austin
Supt R.F. and A.L.
First Dist of Va.

Sir
I would respectfully report the "condition of affairs" in this Co as follows.

Quite a number of the colored people are now making contracts for the coming year (generally verbal) and, and a great many contracts for only a part of the year, (say  the first six months)

During the past month I have called two meetings of the colored people which have been slimly attended, the whites advising the colored people in a great many instances not to have any thing to do with me, and in some instances, threatening them with discharge if they come to me for advice, or attend the meeting. I have enjoined upon them the necessity of making contracts for the whole year, and have explained what I thought would be the result in not doing so.

Wages are generally very low, the prices paid run from four to Ten dollars according to class.

During the past year quite a number of colored people rented farms that have not been cultivated since the commencement of the war, and generally they have contracted to pay rents that in a great many cases it was impossible for the colored man to get the amount out of the farms,
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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-07 16:30:30