Westville: January 4, 1841

Dear Friend,

American people say we have no slaves and we make you free. They promise us to make us free. Mr. Tappan comes from New York and gives us Bible. He brings good tidings; he say we make you free. Then the court no let us go; then call Mende people come to New Haven and Judge Judson say you be free, but Government say Kinna tell you manfriend no believe wicked people. Some White people, good, not all, some bad. Wicked people say Mende people lie, steal, Mende people drink wine, Mende people swear, Mende people all bad. Dear friend, bad people say so. Mende people no lie, not steal, no swear, no drink rum, no fight. What Mende fight for? Mende people love one another. Mende people pray every evening and every night and every morning. Mende people pray God forgive their sins and make them good. Mende people pray God bless their teachers and you, Dear Friend, and Mr. Baldwin, and help you talk to the great court. Mende people pray God give success, a good heart that they let us go free, dear friend. May you have heart to see Mende people. You thought Mende people bad people. No. Bad people say Mende people murderers because we kill Captain and cook. If we have knife and come to America people and say I kill and eat, what America people do? Mende people no kill Captain and cook; they no kill us. Mende people no hurt any body. Dear Friend Mr. Adams. We love you very much & beg you to tell court let Mende people be free. We beg you to talk hard. You make us free and we thank you very much and we pray for you every day and when we go home to Mende we tell our fathers and Mothers and brothers and sisters to pray for Mr. Adams, and they all will thank you very much my dear friend.

Your friend Kinna