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061

have no cases to report, in which injustice has been done colored persons, by reason of the neglect of the proper authorities, to receive their complaints, or in consequence of their having seriously disregarded the testimony of colored persons through prejudice. 

I believe that the policy adopted by us, in not permitting cases to go before certain Magistrates, and confining as far as I can the preliminary, examinations, to those Justices, who in my judgement, act conscientiously, and above, and beyond considerations of race or color, has had an excellent effect, upon both classes and has also quieted the discussion of the questions, as to whether justice to the freedmen, can be obtained in these Courts or not. This in connection with a rule adopted by me in having a very large number of cases, adjudicated in my Office, has had the effect of protecting the interests of the Freedmen, and at the same time has promoted kindly feelings between the races.

The Freedmen as a general thing are unable to pay lawyers, or to lose the time consumed by the slow moving process of the Va Courts, and I have deemed it my duty to prevent as far as possible the adjudication of cases of this kind from going before the Courts- In every regard it is clearly to their interest, to have these difficulties, which occur even among themselv's adjudicated in my Office.- In this way a great many trivial cases are disposed of in my Office.

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