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Bureau R.F. and A. Lands
Office Asst. Sub. Asst. Com. Division No 6-7th SD. Va
Lexington Va May 31st 1867=

Brvt. Brig. Genl O. Brown
Asst. Commissioner State of Virginia

General
In accordance with Paragraph 6 - Circular No 10 Hd Qrs Asst. Com. State of Va dated Richmond Va March 12th 1867 - I have the honor to make the following Report of how the transfer of criminal cases in which Freedmen are parties from the Bureau by the Civil Authorities has effected the interests of the Freedmen in this 6th Division of the 7th District - during the present month -
In the preliminary proceedings, and in the trials before the inferior magistrates the Freedmen labor under certain disadvantages resulting from their ignorance and the positive and unguarded assertions ignorant people are prone to make, from the ease with which, in some cases, persons of their own color can be suborned to testify against them, in the third place from a levity in regard to their welfare and a certain prejudice that exists in the minds of a few of those magistrates, and lastly from that public sentiment that looks upon them as members of an inferior and degraded race -
But when their cases reach the higher courts they have a fair chance of obtaining justice - and what they most lack is the money with which to [[strikethrough]] employ [[/strikethrough]] engage good counsel -
I have not heard of any instance in which the testimony of colored witnesses was refused, and I believe it is generally received in good faith -
Had all the officers of the Bureau

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