.MTA0OQ.NzAwNDY

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went to a blacksmith white friend of his and -lined out who was considered as a sort of literary man among them, touching word scratched out, and between them, this document was indiled:

       "Hightower, October 20th, 1826
       "To your Excelencies The Chiefs in Council at New Town.
        "My friends And Brothers it is to You I make my difficulties known desiring your aid & assistance naming it is in Your power to give full sanction to this my Request I will here try to give you a full Statement being in possession of Some Black people And being Scross in my affections I debase myself and took One of my Black Woman by the name of daull by her I have had three Children named as follows the oldest is Elizabeth about the Age of Seventeen the next the name of John About the Age of Eleven the next the name of Polly about the Age of Seven years These is the only Children that I have as Sitisans of this Nations and as the time I may be called on to die is ansertain my desire is to have them as free Sitisans of this Nation knowing what property I have is to be divided Amongst the rest of my friends how can I think of them