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and last Sunday runners were sent all through this County ordering all negroes to the meeting at Macon Brooksville and Crawfordville informing them that they would be severely punished if they did not go. The crops having failed in the Country and it is a matter of meat and bread like white and black. and the present excited adn demoralized condition of the negroes is what is made is not gathered before cold weather it will be lost. I consider that a contract is binding in both white and black and explained to the negroesthe importance of this work and the impropriety of going as far as Macon and told them I would enforce the contact if they went to the forfeit of their crop as I considered provisions as more important than political meetings. The freedmen Nelson went in the face of my explanations and to defy me and my only recourse is to carry out the contract. I believe I am right and will leave my contract to yourself or any unprejudiced mind as also my decision in this particular case. The only restraint on the Freedmen is the Contract and if that is not carried out the rules and threats of the "Leagues" are all powerful and the negroes now believe the contracts of no avail. I deem an example very necessary on my place and I intend as along as I control a place to control it, being sure that I am right and just- and my conduct at