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Norfolk Decr 7th 1866.

Capt W.P Austin AA &c
Sir
Your letter of this day to Mr Tazewell Taylor has been handed to me by that gentleman.

As soon as I was informed that the farm would be returned to me, I put up a public Notice in not less than Four places on the plantation. That I would give until the 1st November for the negroes to make contracts, and that those who failed to do so, must remove at that time- This was on the 1st October

In consequence of this notice there was, on 8th October, a very large collection of blacks at my office for the purpose of making leases, but of course only a few would find places

Consequent upon this failure to rent, many, I am informed, went to you to complain- and it seems absurd for them now to pretend that they had no notice- The publication in the Tribune proves notice. else why complain?

As the Bureau has ordered their removal, it would hardly seem necessary for any notice to come from me, as my consent is certainly not needed to give weight to the orders of the Bureau:- You, yourself know the fact that "Mr Taylor has objected to them remaining there" not only from my repeated urgency for their removal but from the negroes themselves- To put an end to this pretense, I now request that this be received as a Notice to quit to all except to those to whom I have rented- a list of whom is herewith furnished, and I request that you will consider yourself authorized to repeat this notice- To give a list of all those to remove will be impossible in consequence of the great imperfection of the list furnished me by Mr Dudly on his leaving the farm. 
I am Sir
Respectfully &c
W. E Taylor
over. for list of tenants accepted.