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4

much lower price. In these Counties, the Freedmen are generally well supplied with food and Clothing. In another respect the condition of the Freedmen of the latter Counties is worse than that of the former. They cannot obtain justice in the Courts unless under the protection of the Military authorities. In the most of these Counties ignorance and intemperance has so degraded and demoralized the people that they are almost incapable of self government. The Court days are only a "drunken brawl" in which the civil the civil officers are either participants or interested spectators. The principal business done at the monthly is to hear disloyal addresses in which Union men and the Government are denounced in the plainest terms and the people advised to organize for the purpose of resisting in every practicable way the laws of Congress. Every White man goes armed and when a Union man appears amongst them and speaks in favor of the Government or a Colored man claims his just rights 

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-22 09:46:49