O Say Can You See

To the Hon'ble the Circuit Court of the United States of the for the District of Columbia for the County of Alexandria. your petitioner Harriet Lemon an infant by Nelly Lemon her mother and next friend represents to the Court that she is illegally detained as a slave by Nehemiah Hicks of the town of Alexandria. Your petitioner states that her mother Nelly Lemon in the year or about the year 1800 or 1801 belonged to one Lanty Crowe who at that time resided in the County of Alexa in the District of Columbia, who sold the said Nelly to one John Bayne of Prince Georges County of the in the State of Maryland, by whom she was removed to the said County some time about the year 1802, or 1803, and resided there her said mother before the birth of your petitioner was Kept as a slave in the said County and state, after her removal, for more than one year, in violation of the laws of Maryland. Your petitioner states that her mother by the judgm and several of the children of her said mother at the May Term 1833 of the Circuit Court for the County of Washington in the Dist. of Columbia recovered their freedom by a judgment of the said Court, in consequence of the said illegal removal and detention of her said mother by the said Bayne in the state of Maryland. That your petitioner was born about the year 1820. Your petitioner prays that she may be allowed to sue in your honble Court, in forma pauperis for the recovery of her freedom.

Harriett Lemon by Nelly Lemon her next friend