O Say Can You See

To the Honorable the Judges of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for the County of Washington

The petition of Joseph Burke humbly sheweth unto your Honours that your petitioner is a free man, having been unlawfully imported and brought into the District of Columbia to reside within this district and County of Washington from the State of Virginia and is unjustly detained in slavery by Rachel Hoskins of the County of Fairfax in the State of Virginia. He therefor prays that your Honours will take into consideration his case, and that you will be pleased to cause the United States writ of subpona to issue to the aforesaid Rachel Hoskins, and that your petitioner may have a trial according to law, and that such other and further process may be ordered therein as to your honours may seem reasonable and just.

And as in duty bound your petitioner will ever pray.

Richard S. Coxe Atty for Joseph Burke