O Say Can You See

Know all Men by these Presents that we Arthur P. West, of Prince George's County in the State of Maryland, and James D Kerr and Norman R. Fitzhugh, of the Town of Alexandria, are held and firmly bound to Adam Lynn of the Town of Alexandria District of Columbia, in the Sum of Sixteen hundred Dollars, to be paid to the said Adam Lynn, his Heirs and Assigns, to which payment well and truly to be made, We bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, Jointly and Severally, firmly by these presents, Sealed with our Seals and date this 16th day of May 1827.

Whereas the above bound Arthur P. West has appeased before the above named Adam Lynn, a Justice of the Peace for the County of Alexandria, to Answer the Complaint of Hannah and her child Rebecca and of Milly, Arnold, Sophy, Hannah (a Child) Peggy, and William Negroes now in the possession of the said Arthur P. West, for illegally detaining them in Slavery. Now if the said Arthur P. West, his Executors a Administrators shall suffer each and all of the above named Negroes to appear at the next Term of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for the County of Alexandria, for the purpose of petitioning the said Court to be allowed to Sue therein, in forma pauperum for the Recovery of their Freedom. Then the above obligation to be void, else to remain in   full force and Virtue in Law

A. P. West (seal)
Jas D. Kerr (seal)
N. R. Fitzhugh (seal)

Sealed and delivered in presence of
Davis Bowie
Saml M Janney