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0930

The Court accounts for this by the magistrates ignorance of the proper forms, but as that official is furnished with a legal "Guide", and as such mistakes never occur when a white man is the Prisoner, and invariably with Freedmen, I am not disposed to regard it in so charitable a light.
[[seal]]THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES[[/seal]]

In the foregoing assertions and complaints against the magistrates I do not apply them to any particular one of these officials, but to all the magistrates of the County with but one exception (Mr Allen).  I here desire to state, that I do not consider the present Civil Law, at all applicable in this County in cases where the Freedmen are concerned, and would state the following as my reasons therefor.  1st. In cases where a Freedman has been struck or beaten, (which occurs almost every day) the complainant has no remedy until the Grand Jury sits, which is twice a year.  The Complainant may possibly have to wait 6 months and during that time may be again beaten, but still no magistrate or official will offer to protect him.

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-04-27 19:56:14