O Say Can You See

To the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Columbia, The Petition of Rosetta Barby respectively shews that she was held by one Benjamin Lewis as a slave in the state of Mississippi, that in the year and that about five or six years ago she was brought by the said Benjamin Lewis from the said state of Mississippi into the Town of Alexandria, where she has continued to remain ever since. That said Lewis about that time engaged in the Business of purchasing slaves and removing them to the south, & is still engaged in it, and remains as she is informed & believes a citizen of the state of Mississippi to to present time, tho' he is frequently in the District of Columbia & spends a great part of his time[?], engaged in his said occupation. She is informed that under these circumstances she is entitled to her freedom, [strikethrough] and prays to be allowed to sue in forma pauperis, for the recovery of her freedom & that counsel may be assigned her &c.

Rosetta Barby + her mark

I have examined into the facts stated in the petition of Rosetta Barby, & am [illegible] satisfied that they can all be proved by the [illegible] testimony, & that they do entitle her to her freedom according to the laws in force within the county of Alexandria & District of Columbia I entertain no doubt.

Which is respectfully submitted.

Thomson F. Mason
Novr 6th 1828