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destitute - These organizations are as a general thing secret so far as their deliberations are concerned, by reason of which fact suspicions one entertained (especially among those who are opposed to any advancement being made by the race.) that these societies are organized for some malicious or mischievous purpose - I found that some of the members of the "News Ferry" organization lived at considerable distances from the place of meeting that much opposition had been manifested by the whites in that vicinity towards any meetings or assemblies of Colored persons for any purpose - that the members of this society, to protect their meetings, from annoyances had in some instances  placed sentinals on duty around the building or place of meeting and that several of them had been indirectly threatened with punishment for attending these meetings - and that for no other purpose than to kill  game on the way to & from these meetings and for self defence, in case they were attacked, they had occasionally carried arms with them.

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-12-09 16:09:03 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-12-09 17:46:16