go and leave their families and who can prepare themselves forthwith to be ready at any moment when called upon to go forth and prepare a place for their families and the poor and then come back and receive them. The poor can stay here in safety for some time to come, and prepare themselves as fast as they could, but for us to take the poor, and the lame, and the halt and the blind under these circumstances it would be the greatest business we ever undertook in our lives. He is in favor of selecting men who can take their napsacks on their back and their Rifle on their shoulder and march through and be ready for any emergency. Here are our houses & our property and the poor can stay in them comfortably till they can get ready, and he would rather see the poor enjoy them, than [p. [92]]