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122

113

Bureau R.F. and A. Lands,
Head Quarters. 4th Div. 2d Sub. Dist. Va,
Lunenburg C.H. Va.
Nov. 30th 1868.

Genl. O. Brown.
Asst. Com. of Va,

General
In compliance with Cir. No. 10. Series 1866. I have the honor to report that the testimony of Colored witnesses is taken before all the Courts and Magistrates the same as of White Witnesses. There is such a prevalence of prejudice, injustice and disregard of an oath that unjust verdicts and sentences are numerous, Offences against morality and decentcy and some offences against Public Policy are scarcely noticed while a wash woman would be found guilty of Pety Larceny and sentenced to Sixty days in the County Jail for not returning clothing at the time required though she prove that her time was so occupied in waiting upon the owners of the clothing that she could not wash them in time.

The Courts in both Lunenburg and Nottoway
Counties were attended in person and the enclosed

Transcription Notes:
I don't believe the words previously transcribed as "witness" and "Witnesses in 3rd and 4th line of the letter have been transcribed correctly. Those transcriptions don't make sense within the context of the rest of the transcription and also the words each clearly have a "p" in them. ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-05-15 16:04:02 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-05-15 16:20:09