O Say Can You See

The Petition of Ned Douglass humbly shews, that he is claimed & held as a slave by Richard B. Mason. That your Petitioner was born in Maryland, the slave of Jared Caussin, that he was sold by said Caussin at the age of 18 or 20 years to Thomas Merrick of Maryland, by the said Merrick about 4 years after to Ronald Johnson of Maryland; That he was afterward sold by the said Johnson to John W. Bronaugh of Stafford County in Virginia, by whom he was brought from Maryland where he had always lived, to Georgetown in this District of Columbia & remained there about six months, thence your Petitioner was carried by sd Bronaugh to his farm in sd Stafford County Virginia, whence he resided as the slave of said Bronaugh about six years & was then sold by said Bronaugh to Richard Johnson of Maryland the son of his first master, by whom he was removed back to Maryland & resided there as the slave of the said Johnson 3 or 4 years & then was purchased by the aforesaid Richard B. Mason & brought by him to Alexanders Island in this district where he resided about 6 months, was then carried   to Lancaster County Virginia where he was kept about 10 months & then brought back again to Alexanders Island.

Your Petitioner is advised that he is intitled to his freedom by reason of these several removals, & he therefore prays your honors to adjudge it to him & he will as in duty bound every pray.

B. L. Lear for Petr