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Bureau Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
H'sd Quarters A.S.A. Comm'r 4th Div. 2d Sub-District,
Burkeville, Va., Nov. 30th 1867.

B'v't Brig. Gen'l O. Brown
Ass't Comm'r Bur R. F & A.L. District of Virginia
Richmond, Va.
(Thro' Sub-Dist. Head Quarters)

General:
In compliance with Circular No 10, Series of 1866, Head Qr's Ass't Comm'r State of Virginia, I have the honor to submit the following report for the Counties of Nottaway and Lunenburg, Va. for the month of November 1867.

I attended the Courts of both Counties during the month and witnessed the trial of a number of cases in which Freedmen were concerned, but saw no instance of injustice being done, which I attribute, in part, to the fact of my presence: I was not favorably impressed with the Courts or their manner of doing business.

Most of the Magistrates in my Sub-Division require constant watching, they exhibit a disposition to evade the examination of charges preferred by negroes against White men, and where it not for the rod held over them by the "Military Commissioner" would, I fear (with some few honorable exceptions), take little notice of such Complaints.  

I am, General,
Very respectfully Your obed't serv't
R.G. Rutherford
Lieut. 45th U.S. Infantry;
A.S.A. Comm'r.