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Heathsville VA
July 23rd, 1866

Brig Genl O Brown

General
In compliance with Par "6" Circular No "10" dated Va  Asst Comr. State of Va Richmond Va March 12th 1866. I have the honor to report that the carrying out of the order restoring to State authorities the jurisdiction in criminal cases in which Freedmen are parties, has resulted greatly to the disadvantage of the latter. So far as I know, every case in which a Freedman has been tried before the County Courts. has resulted in being found guilty, or sent on for trial before a superior court.

In the last term of the Lancaster County Court, a Freedman was tried for an assault upon a man who had employed him a short time before, he was without counsel or witnesses, he stated that he had tried in vain to obtain any one as counsel & claimed that had his witnesses been present he could have shown that the assault was committed for the 

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