O Say Can You See

Your Petitioners Jessie Julia A. Bowman and her children (minors) Julia A and Marly & Sylvester Bowman by their next friend the said same Bowman respectfully represent unto your Honors that the said same Bowman some eight or ten years ago, after having been here in said District many years as a free woman went north as a servant to a Lady then traveling or going north, that hearing recently regard that her husband was very ill in said District, she returned here with her aforesaid children to be near him and to offer him [illegible] in his last moments. That she shortly after her arrival here in said District was arrested by one William Boss and has been committed at the insistence and request of said Boss (as she is informed) to the Jail of the District, Where your Petitioner and her said Children now is, your Petitioner asserts that she and her said children are free and she asks your Honors to inquire into same. Your Petitioner is also afraid that said Boss or some other person will cause her and her said children to be carried beyond this District. she therefore asks that said Boss may be enjoined by injunction from so doing, and that also the   Marshal of said District in which custody she and her said children now is & may be commanded restrained from delivering her and her said children to any person or person whomsoever until further order of your Honors. and she asks that said marshal J D Hoover may be made Defendant at this for that purpose and she asks such other & further relief as her case requires

E C Morgan
for Pet

District of Columbia
County Wash' } to wit

Personally appeared before me in my county aforesaid George Butler and made oath that the aforesaid [illegible] so far as noted within his own knowledge is correct, and he believes to be correct

J. H. Goddard J. P.

May 22nd 1856