All slaves born within the limits of the state of Tennessee from and after the first day of January, 1835, shall be free, together with their issue, upon the said slaves, so born, as aforesaid, arriving at the age of twenty-one years, and upon condition that within one year after their so arriving at the age of twenty-one years, they, together with their issue, remove without the limits of the state of Tennessee, and never return to reside therein—and that any slave or slaves who reside without the limits of the state of Tennessee, on or after the first day of January, 1835, and who may afterwards be brought within the limit of the said state to reside, or who remain within the said limits for a term of more than sixty days under any pretence whatever, such slave or slaves shall be free, and all slaves who shall have attained the said age of twenty-one years, and who shall not have removed without the limits of said state within 12 months thereafter, shall be hired out by some authority, prescribed by the legislature for one, two, or three years, and the proceeds of their labor, appropriated for defraying the expense of removing them to Liberia, in Africa, or to such places without the limits of the United States as may be considered suitable for their reception, and for providing for their substance for twelve months after their arrival at their new home.[49] The convention, despite the efforts of a determined minority, well backed by its constituency, steadily refused to consider these memorials on slavery. They were at first merely read and laid on the table. On May 30, Mr. Stephenson, of Washington County, moved the appointment of a committee of thirteen, one from each congressional district, to whom the memorials should be referred, and who should report to the convention a plan for the disestablishment of slavery. This motion was lost on June 2.[50] June 6, Mr. Allen, of Sumner County, moved the appointment of a committee of three, one from each division of the state, to draft resolutions, giving reasons why the convention refused to consider the petitions of the memorialists. After vain attempts to amend the motion, it prevailed. The president of the convention appointed a committee of three, consisting of Messrs. Allen, John A. McKinney, and Huntsman.[51] Mr. Fogg of Davidson County, was substituted on the committee for Mr. Allen, and Mr. McKinney was made chairman. On motion of Mr. McKinney, the memorial on slavery was turned over to the committee. June 19, the committee reported through its chairman, Mr. John A. McKinney. The report is very clever in its arguments and significant for its admissions and professions. It was really a polite apology for slavery. It gave the following as the main reasons that the convention refused to consider the memorials on slavery: