Viewing page 156 of 274

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Henrico County [[strikethrough]] August [[/strikethrough]] September 1st 1866

To Bery C Cook
Brev, Captain & Asst Supt 

Sir
The reception of your communication concerning the issuing of rations to the freedmen &c is in compliance with your request, hereby acknowledged, as I am an officer of the County Court and intend to lay your Communication before that Body, with the expectation that that body will give respectful attention to it, I would also, in my individual capacity request of you to lay before the proper officers, & agents, of the Bureau, two suggestions, my observation and experience would suggest the propriety, of having the order of Genl Terry, which forbids the execution of the Vagrant. Said upon the negroes revoked, I am satisfied in my own mind that if the vagrant, law were brought to bear on the negroes, as well as on the whites, we would not have one tenth of the paupers, as [[strikethrough]] - [[/strikethrough]] us [[strikethrough]] - [[/strikethrough]] we now have.

(2) I would suggest the propriety of having that great influx of aged & infirm negroes of both sexes that have flown in upon us from all points of the compass and that are with out any visible means of support, returned to their respective counties whence they came; The county has been devastated by both armies so that we are too poor to provide for the wants of all the destitute, that may choose to flock to us from any and every quarter