hould be removed out of the boundaries
of the commonwealth of Virginia, he requests the aid of the Society, and
recommends their transportation to Guinea."

The committee of the American Convention for Promoting the Abolition of
Slavery, to whom this letter was referred, reported, "that it did not
appear that the convention could, at present, propose any specific plan
for accomplishing the benevolent intention of Samuel Guest." This is
really a distressing case. If there exists _any where_, the power of
affording a remedy in such instances as this, the omission of exercising
it is, in effect, an act of converting freemen into slaves! This subject
demands the serious attention of the government, and of every citizen,
who, like Howard, the model of beneficence, is "a patriot of every
clime."

Since the original of the preceding note was written, the following
statement has been published in the National Intelligencer:--

"The legislature of Indiana are now actively engaged in the organization
of the details of the state government. Much debate has taken place on a
petition or letter from W. E. Sumner, of Williamson county, (Tennessee,)
requesting that the legislature may enable him to bring into the state a
number of slaves, with the view which he expresses in the following
words:

"I have about 40, and my intention is, if permitted by the laws of
Indiana, to bring and free them, to purchase land for them and settle
them on it; to give them provisions for the first year, and furnish them
with tools for agriculture and domestic manufactory, and next spring
with domestic animals. You must be aware, sir, that this must be
attended with no small expenditure of money and trouble. I think, that
after a man has had the use of slaves and their ancestors, twenty or
thirty years, it is unjust and inhuman to set them free, unprovided with
a home, &c. &c. All that I have were raised by my father and myself, and
the oldest is about my age (46.) I am also very desirous to leave the
slave states, and spend my few remaining days in that state where
involuntary slavery is not admissible; and will, with the blessing of
God, prepare to do so as soon as I can settle my affairs."

"The mode in which this letter should be treated is the subject of the
debate. It appears to be agreed that the constitution of the state
forbids a compliance with his request."

The writer has been assured that this conscientious, just, and generous
individu