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taken. The company numbers 64 a great many would join if they could had I not been active at the farmer meetings. I could not have Joined at first they that of having 50 but others came on till it sat to 60, a votes was passed not to take more. But when I arose on Sat even and to told them it had been & still was my intention to go and should have been an actual member sometime previous had not unavoidable circumstances, prevented me, that I was ready and willing to fully conform to the terms of the constitution, all hands said I certainly must go & that they thought I was actually one of the party all of the time. So as luck would have it, I succeeded and through my influence 3 others came in so the company is now 64 selected men, all proposed by some second person who was well acquainted with them and then voted for as a number by the whole company who had joined before. They all seemed pleased to have me go - & I think generally they are those in whom I can trust yet I shall be on my guard. It is considered here to be a very fine respectable co. So you see I am bound to go- certainly I think it best. I am quite busy in getting ready. We Start a week from today the 2 of April. We meet all to gather opposite Layfayette Square in the afternoon dressed in our uniform as we call it, which is a suit of rather dark Satinett with Gilt buttons on our coats & we put on a cap with the initials of the association which is W.C.C. M. A. was Washington City California Association. We march in a body to the depot, accompanied by a band of music then take the cars for Pittsburg & then go on to independence & St. Joseph by way of Cumberland and the Ohio river. A committee went 2 weeks ago to get all ready