Freedmen's Bureau Records: John W. Jordan to Orlando
Brown, August 31, 1868
Summary:
Jordan reports that he tries to have all disputes involving freedmen settled
outside of the civil court system because of the prejudice and indifference of
the local Magistrates.
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
Office 4th Division, 9th
Sub-District, Virginia.
Bvt Brig
Gen. O Brown
Asst
Comr &c
B of R.F.
& A.L.
Richmond Va
Aug 31st 1868
STAUNTON, VA.
General
In compliance with instructions contained in Par VI Cir No 10, from Head Quarters Asst Comr. &c Va dated Richmond Va March 12 1866 in the matter of the result of the operation of the "Order" restoring to the "Civil Courts" jurisdiction over colored persons &c. I have the honor to submit the following Report viz.
By reason of the fact that an impression prevails among the Magistrates in this
Division that their term of Service has expired and that consequently they are
not authorized to act officially
[page 2]
in connection with the masked
reluctance betrayed by them toward adjudicating or trying cases in which colored
persons offers as parties, I have sent but few cases to them during the last
month. The [unclear: careless] manner in which such cases have been
disposed of - their marked indifference to the interests of the freedpeople -
their [unclear: unconquerable] prejudice against the colored race
&c &c all tend to deepen the conviction in my mind that the necessity for the establishment of Provost Courts in
each county of Va is more evident than ever and
especially is this the case in this portion of the state. I have at the same
time no cases of injustice to report by reason of the aforementioned fact viz.
most of the difficulties in which Freedmen are concerned are not sent to the
Civil Courts but settled in this office.
I am General, Very Respectfully
Your obt
Svt
Jno W. Jordan
A.S.A. Comr &c
