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18. v1. 1868

Bureau R.F. & A.L
Office 1st Div. 11th Sub Dist Va
Farmville, Va May 31st 1868

Brt Brig Genl O. Brown
Adjutant Commissioner of Virginia
Richmond Va

General
In compliance with circular No6 Series 1866 from Head Quarters Asst Comr of Virginia. I have the honor to make the following report on the condition of Bureau affairs, in the 1st Div 11th Sub Dist Va comprising the counties of Prince Ed & Charlotte. The freed people in this Division, are as a general thing very poor, in fact Some are Suffering for the want of the necessaries of life. in addition to being poor they are very much deficient in energy or ambition to better their present condition; therefore the Spirit of industry amongst the colored people Seems to be gradually dying out. I give as a reason for this State of affairs, the unfriendly feeling exhibited by the whites towards the colord, together with a desire to keep them in their present State of poverty and ignorance, they have fooled and cheated them So often, that the colored people have no more confidence in their words, honors, or contracts, and judging from existing circumstances, I can See nothing in the future for the colored people but poverty and destitution, for there is not crop enough put in the ground to feed them until Next Season. Some of them sign contracts of Such a nature that they never could realize anything more than a poor pitiable living, and when they come to make a final Settlement, they are invariably brought in debt to their employer. others rent small pieces of land, by giving

Transcription Notes:
there are a couple misspelled words I wrote as I saw them. ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-25 16:02:25