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0183

To Gen. O. Brown

Amelia Co. Va May 8th 1866
We overseers of the poor of this county have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of Mch 21st 1866. and after due consideration of the same, we beg leave to return the following answers. first as to the first and second questions which are as follows. Will the Board undertake to provide for the maintenance or assistance of destitute colored persons having a settlement in its respective town or county in the same manner as is provided for destitute white persons? What will be the extent and character of such maintenance or assistance and if it cannot be provided for all destitute colored persons, what proportion will the Board undertake to provide? In answer to these two Questions we would call your attention to a report made by us and forwarded to you January 3rd 1866 a copy of which we here embody 

Col O Brown Asst Commr, &c

The undersigned overseers of the poor for the county of Amelia duly elected and Qualified by Law to say in reply to your communication of the 20th of November 1865 to them addressed (at this the first meeting of the board since the communication was received) that the County of Amelia has made no provision and in our opinion is totally unable to provide for twenty three (23) freedmen (paupers) in addition to the number of whites now being supported at the expense of the County. The County of Amelia has neither the buildings nor sustenance for such an addition of paupers and the people of the County are unable to bear the additional tax for such provisions. We beg leave to call your attention to the fact that the County was literally ravaged by both Armies, in many portions destroying all livestock provisions &c, a majority of the people having nothing left but but their Lands
Very Respectfully

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