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mentioned who I endeavored to get before the Grand Jury. He before coming to me applied to a magistrate, but was told by him that he did not know what to do, and he had better come to me. Another serious obstacle in the way of an indictment before a Grand Jury, where the colored complainant has to appear on his own responsibility, is the long period he has to wait before he [[strikethrough]]had[[/strikethrough]] can take the first step. And still others are, the difficulty he then has to keep the appointed time of meeting in his mind, the probable trouble he may encounter in leaving his employment when the date arrices, and the liability then is of his overlooking the offense itself, in the interim. All this is certainly very unfortunate; for I am convinced that it but [[strikethrough]]tends[[/strikethrough]] operates to encourage a perseverance in a course that it is found can be pursued with impunity. To this extent then, it cleary tends to exercise a most permiscious & demoralizing influence on the minds of the whites. We hear nothing of assaults by the Freedmen being committed on white person. Were one to attempt such a thing, or even to retaliate where he is himself assaulted, he would either be shot dead, or unmercifully beaten & very likely afterwards thrown in jail, where it is probable he would remain until brought before the Court for trial. The reverse of such aggressions, however, is common occurrence; & no matter how inhumanly or unmercifully the poor Freedman may have been maltreated, he may consider himself lucky if he even succeeds in getting the aggressor bound over to keep the peace thereafter, for a time. To accomplish even this, I say, is most difficult with or without this, the sole recourse for seeking redress, by the advocacy of the Commonwealth, is the "Grand Jury". In the absence of an indictment, court proceedings, conducted by Counsel, involves much expense & have so much in doubt at the same