The paragraphs below are excerpted transcriptions from Kinna's two-page letter to John Quincy Adams.

"I want to write you a few lines my dear friend because you love us, and because you talk to the great court, and tell America people to make us free. We want to go home to Mendi and see our fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters. When we in ship we have no waters; we came on shore for waters. We see American people. American people say we have no slaves and we make you free. They promise us to make us free. . . .

"Mendi people pray God bless their teachers and you, Dear Friend, and Mr. Baldwin, and help you talk to the great court. Mendi people pray God give success, a good heart that they let us go free, dear friend. May you have heart to see Mendi people. . . . 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 Mendi 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. "