O Say Can You See

To the honorable Circuit Court of the District of Columbia sitting for the County of Alexandria. The petition of Jane, alias Jane Williams, (a mulatto woman) humbly represents that she is unjustly detained in a state of bondage. That she was the property of Mr. Thomas Noland, a citizen of Maryland & that for many years she continued to reside in his family in Frederick County in the State of Maryland, until about the month of march in the year eighteen hundred & ten, when she was brought into the State of Virginia where she remained only a few months & was then in fall of the said year removed to the town of Alexandria as the property of Mrs. Love the daughter of Mr. Noland, & that she has since that time continued constantly to reside in the town of Alexandria. That a few weeks ago, she was informed both[?] by her late mistress Mrs. Jane Love & also by Richard H Love. That she was sold to said Richd. H Love, & was now his property. Thus as she is informed & believes that she   is entitled to her freedom. She therefore prays this honorable Court that she may be permitted to sue therein in forma pauperis for the recovery of her freedom; & that she may have counsel assigned to her &c.

(signed)
Jane alias Jane Williams

I have examined the facts stated in the within petition & I am of opinion that the petitioner Jane is entitled to her freedom.
Thomson F. Mason

The petitioner is ordered into the custody of the marshall until bond be given in sum of $1200 for her appearance at court to prosecute her suit &c.