O Say Can You See

On the trial of this Cause the Counsel for the Petitioners having read in Evidence the following Depositions (Here insert them) And the Counsel for the Defendant having also read in Evidence the following Depositions (here insert them) & the former instructions of the Court (here insert 1. & 2.) having been admitted by the Petitioners Counsel, Defendants Counsel prayed the Court to instruct the Jury that if they should believe from the Evidence aforesaid that the Existence of such a noise and report in the neighbourhood respecting the Circumstances of the said Mary Queen's importation as is stated in Disneys Deposition produced & read as Evidence on the part of the Petitioners were not stated from the knowledge of the said Disney but what had been communicated to him respecting the Existence of such a report and noise, many years after the importation of the said Mary Queen without its appearing from whom or in what manner the same had been communicated to him, then the said Evidence of the said Disney is incompetent to prove either the Existence of such a Report & Noise, or the truth of them. And if the Jury should believe from the Evidence that the Declaration of Captain John Iams as stated in Warfields Deposition also produced & read as Evidence by the Petitioner were not derived from his Jim's own knowledge but were founded on hearsay or report communicated to him many years after said importation and Sale of the said Mary Queen without its appearing by whom or in what manner such communication was made to him then his said Declarations are not competent Evidence in this Cause which Instructions the Court gave as prayed, to which opinion and Instruction the Petitioners by his Counsel excepts and prays that this their Bill may be signed sealed & enrolled which is accordingly done.

And the Petitioners further offered evidence to prove that they are lineally descended from the Mary Queen in the said Depositions mentioned, who is claimed to have been the great grandmother of the Petitioner Mima;

Whereupon the the Deft's Counsel prayed the court to instruct the Jury as follows;

Instructions & opinions of the Court as prayed by the Deft.

1. That the Petitioners must be presumed to be legally held in bondage untill competent proof is produced of their being entitled to freedom; and the burthen of proving the same is on the Petitioners. (admitted by the Petitioner's Counsel)

2. That Mary Queen, the great grandmother of the Petitioners, from whom they claim descent in the lineal female line, if found by the Jury to have been of a yellow or Tawney colour and to have been held & treated as a slave from the time of her importation & sale till her death, must be presumed to have been imported as a slave & to have been rightfully held & treated as such, untill the contrary is proved by the Petitioners. (admitted by the Petitioner's Counsel)

3d. If the Jury find from the evidence that the existence of such a report & noise in the neighborhood, respecting the circumstances of the said Mary Queen's importation, as is stated in Disney's deposition produced & read as evidence on the part of the Petrs, was not stated from the knowledge of the witness, but from what had been communicated to him, respecting the existence of such a report & noise, many years after her importation without its appearing by whom or in what manner the same was communicated to him; then the said evidence of the said Disney is not incompetent to prove either the existence of such a reporte & noise at the time of such importation or the truth of it; and if the Jury find from the evidence that the declarations of Capt John Iims, as stated in Warfield's deposition also produced & read as evidence on the part of the Petitrs, were not derived from his (Iims's) own knowledge, but were founded upon hearsay or report, communicated to him many years after the said importation & sale of the said Mary Queen without its appearing by whom or in what manner such communication was made to him; then his said declarations are not competent evidence to which in this cause. (granted by the Court & excepted to by Petitioners) to be preceeded by the same statement as the last excn To which last instruction the Deft Petitioners by their counsel excepted but the court enrolled the same

To which last instruction so given by the court to the Jury the Deft Petrs by their counsel except and pray that this their bill of exceptions be sealed &c. and it is done accordingly

N. Fitzhugh (seal)
B. Thurston (Seal)