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                       State of Maine
                        In Senate    february [sic]     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 ["concur" is crossed out] accord with the sentiment expressed in the Preamble to the Resolution of the State of Alabama "that the" "Subject[close quote mark is crossed out] is one in which the States (where the " "evil complained of exists[no close quote]) 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 [time is inserted into text] possessing capacities for improvement & knowledge, perhaps in our