Letter to Joseph Talcot, 1830-05-01

              Cincinnati 5 month 1st. 1830
Esteemed Friend,
Thy favour of the 30th of the 3rd month has just come to hand. It afford me much Satisfaction to find that the case of the people of colour who have been banished to Canada is obtaining the attention of my fellow citizen[s of?] different places. I proceed with pleasure to give thee such information as I am in possession of to thy enquiries.
1."What number of free people of colour have gone from Ohio to Canada with the intentio of forming a colony there? From the best information I have been able to obtain 1100 have from this state, 600 from this city and 500 from other parts of the State of Ohio.
2."What is their general character as to industry, morality religion, and capacity for business? I think it probably all the grades from the indolent to the industrious, and from the vicious to the moral, upright and religious, will be found among them, many of them having been brought up in a state of the lowest degradation and slavery, their capacity for business, I think will generally be found to be limited. I however know there are exceptions to this remark.
3."What proportion of them have property and may be relied on for integrity as men of business? Very few of them have property, and but little can be said of this integrity and capacity for business.
4."Has the State of Ohio, associations, societies, or individuals aided them, and if so, how much? The agents of the people of colour who were banished to Canada petitioned the Legislature of Ohio for relief but none was granted. I have understood the members in their individual capacity contributed something, but how much I am not correctly informed. The Situation of these people was not laid before Indiana Yearly Meeting.