The African Repository & Colonial Journal, Vol. XVII, No. 23

December 1, 1841

THE MENDEAN NEGROES: We published a few days since, the reply of the President to the Mendean committee, in reply to their application for aid to return these negroes to their native country. The following characteristic letter to the President was written by the Chief, (CINQUE,) who has been taught to read and write here:-

FARMINGTON, CONN., OCT. 5, 1841.

 
You have done a great deal for us. Now we want to go home, very much, very soon. As soon as you can send us. We want to land at no other place but Sierra Leone. When we get to Sierra Leone we get home we find a good place for our teachers, and then we tell our parents, come and see them. We want plenty of calicoes, not cut, and plenty of cloth for men's clothes#for pantaloons, coats and vests#not cut. For we think we wear 'Merica dress as long as we live, and we want our friends who come to live with us to wear 'Merica dress too. And we want plenty to give our friends and have them; give us elephant teeth, palm oil, camwood, and other things to send you to 'Merica. We will take good care of our teachers, We will not leave them. When we are in Mende we never hear such a thing as men taken away and carried to Cuba, and then return home again. The first thing we tell them will be that the great God bring us back. We tell them all about 'Merica. We tell them about God and how Jesus Christ, his only beloved Son, came down to die for us, and we tell them to believe, for this your son was lost before now, and is found, for not any thing make him found but God. Now we want you to give your children to us#give to the teachers to try teach them. We will try to teach them to pray, and not to pray to anything but God.

Some wicked people here laugh at Mr. TAPPAN and all our committee for spending so much for Mende people. They say we are like dogs without any home. But if you will send us home you will see whether we be dogs or not. We want to see no more snow. We no say this place no good, but we afraid of cold. Cold catch us all the time. We have a great many friends here and we love them just as we love our brethren.

We want to go very soon, and go to no place but Sierra Leone.

Your friend,

Cinque