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except the Cotton, liable for the rent under the laws of the state, but under the state laws the whole of the Crop is liable for the same And I now appeal to you to Award it to me as it is now in your custody (See Acts of Legislature of Oct. Nov. & Dec 1865 Page 138. C 7 [[strikethrough]] [[illegible]] [[/strikethrough]] See 6)
You recollect that I called on you some time ago, while a small portion of the cotton was being gined, to take the whole of it in your possession and settle the matter between us but you declined on the grounds that you could not do so unless applied to by the Freedmen.
The Freedmen have been much to blame in the matter. Not having Cultivated the land well only having made 16.800 lbs when the law of property Cultivated would have made fully five times that amount And I dont think that I ought to loose on the Account of their idleness or bad management where it was not in my power to prevent it.
If these Freedmen came under the Class of labourers their Claims would stand under the rule laid down by Gen'l Ord in Circular No 22 but such is not their character they were renters and took the Chance of the Crop. if they made ever so large a one I only got my 9 Bales if a small one it is their loss not mine   

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-05-29 10:05:18