O Say Can You See

Upon the trial of this cause, The defendant prayed the Court to instruct the Jury, if they shall be satisfied from the evidence that the plaintiff did not remain in the County of Alexandria in the District of Columbia one whole year in the service of William H. Lyles & Enoch M: Lyles after she came to live with them in the year 1 summer of the year 1801, but was taken back to Maryland before the end of that year. Then she is not under that importation intittled to her freedom. And also that if the Jury shall be satisfied from the evidence that after the said plaintiff was so taken back to Maryland she was given by William Lyles to Ann Lowry then a resident of the state of Maryland, and that who afterwards intermarried with Wm H. Lyles in the state of Maryland and that after the said Marriage, the said plaintiff was brought was over from Maryland into the County of Alexandria by the said William H. Lyles and his said wife in the month of   October 1801. And shall also be satisfied that the said William H. Lyles did take the oath prescribed by law concerning the importation of slaves into the County of Alexandria & District of Columbia within sixty days after his removal aforesaid with his wife aforesaid into the said County of Alexandria, then the said plaintiff cannot maintain this action. Which opinion & instruction the Court refused to give. To which opinion of the Court the defendant excepts & prays that this his bill of exceptions, may be signed, sealed & addressed which is done accordingly the Court refused to sign * to which refusal of the court to sign the above bill of exceptions, the defendant excepts. #

* because there was no evidence offer'd to the Jury to prove that the said William Lyles gave the Plaintiff to the said Ann Lowry, nor to prove that the plaintiff was brought over from Maryland into the County of Alexandria by the said William H. Lyles and his wife after their intermarriage. [strikethrough] # and prays that this his bill of exceptions may be signed sealed and enroll'd which is done according.

W. Cranch (seal)
N Fitzhugh (seal)
Allen B Duckett (seal)