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4

To assist in buying lands it is hoped the American Land Co. will give important aid. But nothing less than the privileges granted by the W.S. Homestead Act can meet the wants of the millions of this impoverished, landless people. To the importance of availing themselves of this Gov't grant the more intelligent of them have become fully awake. During a recent visit to the Taylor Farm (occupied by more than 1000 freedmen) I was beset by intelligent, hard-working men whose first inquiry was whether they had got to go off & leave the farm; adding "Here's the houses & the lands we had from Government & now it's a'most winter & we've nowhere to go." As I told them of the meeting in Norfolk & the vote to go on to the public lands they were greatly relieved & eager to know how "this thing" was to be done. It is only the old-fashioned Colonization of the compulsory sort that they detest & dread. But the voluntary emigration to the public lands as the common heritage of all colors, countries, & classes