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review the testimony, preparatory to rendering a decision, do not consider that testimony as evidence when place against that of a white man.

To this class of Magistrates I send no cases if it is possible for me to avoid it. I use all honorable means to have cases especially in which freedmen are seriously concerned brought before those whom I conscientiously believe would try them as fairly and impartially as I would myself. At the same time I have good reason to believe that the suspension of the operations of the Freedman's Courts was as a general thing productive of much more evil than good to the freedmen. They are suspicious and distrustful of the white people and even when their cases are settled fairly and with equal justice to all concerned seem to think that same advantage has been taken of them. In one or two criminal cases