O Say Can You See

The petition of Richard Johnson, a negro man of the County of Washington, District of Columbia aforesaid, humbly sheweth unto your Honours that sometime about the year 1782 or 3 your petitioner was held and owned by a certain Thomas Macubbin of Montgomery County, State of Maryland. that while so held & owned by the said Thomas Macubbin he the said Thomas removed to the State of Virginia and removed and imported into the said State of Virginia your petitioner to reside. That upon such importation, the Acts of Assembly of the State of Virginia required a certain Affidavit to be made by the said Thomas and in the absence of such Affidavit gave freedom to your petitioner. That the said Thomas neglected & omitted to make such Affidavit whereby your petitioner acquired title to   freedom.

That after the said Thomas had resided, & held said neg petitioner, in the State of Virginia eight or nine years, he removed to the State of Maryland and removed and imported your petitioner into the State of Maryland to reside and neglected and omitted to comply with certain requisites contained on certain Acts of Assembly of the State of Maryland prohibiting the importation of slaves into the State of Maryland then in force. That if your petitioner had not acquired a title to freedom under the laws of the State of Virginia by his removal to the said State, then he would have acquired title to freedom by his importation to reside into the State of Maryland.

That your petitioner came to the possession of a certain Janet Lingan who now sets up claim to him under some pretended or alledged purchase, or bequests or descent. and that your petitioner is now unjustly and illegally held in bondage   by the said Janet Lingan.

Your petitioner prays your Honours to take his case into consideration and to grant him a fair & impartial trial according to the law of the land and your petitioner will ever pray and so forth.

July 3. 1821.

Augt Taney for Petitioner.