Charlotte Dupee, Charles, & Mary Ann v. Henry Clay

To the Honbl. the Judges of the circuit court of the District of Columbia for the County of Washington.

The several petitions of Charlotte or Lotty Charles and Mary Ann respectfully and humbly sets forth to your honors that they are people of color who are entitled to their freedom and who are now held in a state of slavery by one Henry Clay (Secty of State) contrary to law and your petitioners just rights and that they are about to be taken of out of this district and carried into the state of Kentucky, there to be held as slaves for life whereupon they severally pray your honors to grant them such relief as they may be lawfully entitled to and such process of your honorable Court against the said Henry Clay as is usual in such cases to compel the attendance of the said Henry Clay in your honbl. court to answer this petition and to enter the usual security and recognizance not to remove our petitioners or any of them beyond the Jurisdiction of your honorable court and as in duty bound they will ever pray

Robert Beale pro petitioners

Read the full case on O Say Can You See: Early Washington, D.C., Law & Family