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assistance in making their claims for bounties available at an early period. They inform me, that they are making an effort to get Genl Howard, to take their subscribtion list, given for the purchase of the land, and retain the several amounts subscribed out of their bounty claims, and forward them to you, to be paid to me, when titles are made, to your satisfaction. To this I make no objection, as it occurs to me that it is a very feasible mode of expediting, and closing up the transaction. If I am correctly informed there is now enough subscribed, if at once collected and forwarded to you, to place them in possession of the 2nd Lot. If there is not, and it is their desire to take the 2nd Lot, and the deficit is not too large, I may let it go with the one third on time. This affair has assumed a shape entirely different from that which I at first thought. I now find that the negroes are truly in earnest about possessing themselves of this land. They expected to take possession on the 1st of January last, by transferring to me their subscription from their bounty claims, and manifested great disappointment, when I informed them that I could not take them, in that way, as it would be illegal. They then urged me to wait on them and allow them time to try and arrange with Genl Howard, as above alluded to, which I have done. The planting season will soon be here, and it is all important, that both they and myself should know what will be done. They are refusing to work for any one, believing they are to have a place of their own. I make this representation in order that a correct view may be had of the whole matter, as well as, to learn through you, if Genl Howard will make the arrangement above alluded to. Or, if not, if he will propose and aid in the prosecution of any plan that will produce a speedy