James Hutton v. William J. Belt. Charles W. Goldsborough to Richard S. Coxe

 

Washington
6 June 1825

Sir:

Mr Key must have misunderstood my meaning, in my observation to him relatively to the employment of slaves on board of our national ships. I intended to convey to him the idea, not that there was any law or rule prohibiting their employment, but that the practice of the service, as I thought, discountenanced their employment. In this I believe I am correct: for, altho' they are sometimes employed as servants to officers to whom they belong, they are all entered on the muster & pay rolls of the ships, as free persons are, & are never, I believe, marked as slaves.

I am very respy sir, yr mo. ob. servt.
Ch. W. Goldsborough

Richd. S. Coxe esqr

 

Negro James Hutton
v
Wm J. Belt

on petition for freedom

Richd S. Coxe esq