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insolent spirit on the part of the Freedmen.  They are as civil, industrious, and temperate as ever, and are improving in general intelligence and the knowledge of their rights and the proper mode of obtaining them - were they only let alone by evil white consellors I believe they would - in the course of time - become the best people in the world.

I write this with the fact staring me in the face that a class isolation is beginning - white with white versus black with black.

These remarks apply to Rockbridge County for I have not visited Bath and Alleghany for some time and cannot therefore tell the exact state of affairs existing in them at present.  I however propose to visit them in about two weeks, at the close of the next session of the circuit court comt in Lexington.

In regard to temperance I can say that during the month I have obtained some sixty signatures to the pledge [[strikethrough]] during the month [[/strikethrough]] making the whole number of signers that I now have one hundred and twenty six - No complete organization has yet been effected, nor have officers been elected.  I will try to accomplish these purposes at as early a date as possible.

Several colored temperance societies were established in Rockbridge before I arrived here.

The system of cropping - so common and so disastrous on the poor lands of Eastern Virginia is not much practiced here; and, from observation, I am