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                       State of Maine
                       In Senate   February 1827

The committee on Literature & Literary Institutions to whom was referred a communication from the Governor enclosing a Preamble & Resolution of the Legislature of the State of Alabama disapproving the Resolutions of the States of Delaware, Connecticutt [sic], Illinois & Indiana by which the last mentioned States concurred with a resolution of the State of Ohio proposing the emancipation of Slaves, together with a resolution of the State of New Jersey recommending a system of foreign Colonization to be adopted to effect the entire emancipation of Slaves; having considered the same respectfully submit the following Report.

They cannot accord with the sentiment expressed in the Preamble to the Resolution of the State of Alabama "that the" "Subject is one in which the States (where the " "evil complained of exists are alone [underlined] interested".[sic] That Sentiment is unquestionably correct if Slaves be considered merely [underlined] as a species of property, an Article of Merchandise & traffick; But if they be considered, in a more enlarged view, as Men [underlined]- as Rational beings, reduced to a state of Servitude & misery, and at the same time possessing capacities for improvement & knowledge, perhaps in an