Viewing page 6 of 236

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

0240

their people, but they will have barely enough to sustain themselves through the coming winter.

Taxes bear very heavily upon the colored people in this vicinity, the Poll Tax is Three Dollars and Fifty Cents this year, an increase of one dollar over that of last year, not including the tax upon their stock vehicles &c. they are then called upon to perform from Six to Twelve days work upon the road, and in some instances they have worked sixteen days, It seems to be very unjust that they should be called upon to such an extent, when comparatively speaking they do not use the roads, the person who owns no lands, horses, carts &c pays just as much as those owning their horses do,

The courts then appoints surveyors of Roads [[strikethrough]] who [[/strikethrough]] to work the road who are generally large property holders and who live upon the Roads, and in some instances they take advantage of their position to improve their lands at the expense of the poverty stricken people.

A more healthy management of county affairs is very much needed.

A disposition is shown among some of the better class of the whites to treat the colored people fairly and to pay them their just claims, on the other hand some try every considerable way to drag them down.

All of which I would respectfully submit.

I am General very respectfully
Your Obedient Servant
Morton Havens Lt V.R.C.
Asst. Sub Asst. Commissioner

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-19 16:47:57