Text of the petition
Page one
To The Speaker and House of Delegates in Virginia.
The Petition of sundry Inhabitants of various parts of this State.
Respectfully Sheweth.
That your petitioners, from a full conviction that slavery is not only a moral but a political evil, which in all its forms, in all its degrees, is an outrageous violation and an odious degradation of human nature, tending to weaken the bonds of society, discourage trades and manufactures, indanger the peace and obstruct the prosperity of the country. And commiserating the unhappy situation of a large proportion of people within this state who by the Laws now in force, are held as personal property and they and their innocent offspring liable to be kept in perpetual bondage and ignorance, subject to the arbitrary will of those who hold them, as well in respect to inhuman treatment, as in unnatural separation from the most near and dear connections in life without appeal and without redress. They therefore conceive themselves in duty bound to remind this House as the proper guardians of every description of men within the State of a subject so interesting, and which appears to them in a particular manner, to call the attention and require the interposition of the Legislature.
Your Petitioners regret that several States within the American Union where these unalienable rights of human nature to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have been so clearly defined and successfully assured, should in contradiction thereto and contrary to the divine command of, “doing to others as they would they should do unto them,” suffer under sanction of Law so large a number of fellow men to remain in a state of abject slavery; at a time too, when the burning spirit of liberty seems to be diffusing itself through the world.
Your Petitioners are aware of the objections that probably would arise to a general and immediate Emancipation, as well from interested motives, as the unfitness of individuals for freedom: They are not insensible that a people long destitute of the means of mental improvement may in some instances be sunk below the common standard of human nature; accustomed to move at the will of a master or overseer, reflection may in some degree be suspended and reason and conviction have but little influence on their conduct; They are also sensible to the effect of custom, and the prejudices arising from a habit of looking upon the African race as an inferior species of mankind, and regarding them only as property. Believing nevertheless that, “God is no respecter of persons,” that he “hath made of one blood all Nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the Earth,” and that, “his mercies are over all his works;” Encouraged also by that gracious declaration of our Saviour as an excitement to acts of humanity and benevolence, viz. “Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Your Petitioner therefore in discharge of the duty they owe to the merciful Father of all the families of the Earth; compassion for the sufferers; and a desire to promote the true interest and prosperity of the Country; and also to remove as much as may be the objections which may arise from motives of present interest or the unfitness of individuals for freedom, and at the same time gradually abolish an evil of great magnitude: They humbly propose, and pray, that a law may be (made?) declaring the children slaves now born, or to be born after the passing of such act, to be made free, as they (text obscured).
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ages; to (inform?) their instruction to Read (??) and to invest them with suitable privileges as an (excitement?) to become useful citizens; and also to restrain the holders from inhuman treatment of those who may remain in Bondage. Or that the House may grant such other relief as in its wisdom may seem meet.
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David Meade
George Wythe
Edmund Jones
John Cringan
Robert Turnbull
William Richardson
Samuel Couch
Augustine Davis
Joseph Harding
Benjamin (Rufred?)
Thomas T. Bates
Joseph A. Myers
Reuben Harrison
James Wright
George Wills
John Bryan
Andrew Thaklin
(Thelin?) Sheltman
Peter Kelly
John Ferguson
(Row obscured)
James Moore
Nicholas Walder
George Wymer
Joseph Pinnell
Joseph Porter
Benjamin Wall
Reuben Finnell
James Moore
Carr Waller
John Parrish
William Ratcliff
William Shelburn
Lewellin Spencer
William Weathers
Charles Talley
Samuel Gover
(Barenil?) Hough
Thomas Moore
Joseph Fisher
(Obscured)
Ratikin
(Obscured) Canby
(Obscured) Cavian
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John Harvie
Charles W. Byrd
John Pleasant
John (Crow Jr.?)
John McClurg
Frederick Argyle
J. Darmdale
J. Heron
Thomas Barnett
John Lyre
Archibald Pleasant
Hugh French
John Welch
Ferdinand Lair
Jacob Chauster
Jarold Wiseman
Robert Rutherford
James Brown
John Deaning
Samuel Myer
George (Hir?)
Shepherd Collins
Charles Bodkin
James Pinnell
William Gains
William Wright
William Keyes
S.D. Haricman
Lawrence Manfield
John Dickerson
Manfield B. Wood
Richard Rix
Benjamin Brown
Jade Williams
Thomas Crenshaw
William Mitchener
Samuel Murray
Isaac Thompson
George Gregg
Joseph Talbot
Jonas Potts
James Hamilton
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James Warrington
William DuVal
John Stagg
George Clopton
John Stewart
Robert McCartney
J. Pryor
William Fontaine
Hale Sharp
John Andrews
Joseph Woodson
Thomas Wafford
Joseph Mitter
Frederick Honaker
William Bryan
Joseph Lair
Elliot Rutherford
Gordon Rogers
Enos (Dorinis?)
George Murray
John Robertson
Samuel Weeks
Enos Tail
Benjamin Pinnell
Richard Parks
John Hutt
David Robinson
Eskridge Hall
John Stevens
George Arnold
John Saunders
Edmond Cole
William Ellis
Emward Wilkinson
William Clayton
Joseph Smith
Joseph Jenny
William Barnes
Isaac Siddal
Thomas Smith
Samuel Thompson
Samuel Donahue
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Samuel Tyler
Anthony Singleton
Robert Pleasant (Jr.?)
John Marshall
William Dabney
Jackson Frayser
Samuel Parsons
Alexander Buchanan
Ebenezar Maul
Daniel Butter
David Bullock
William McKee
Andrew Muirhead
Michael Bachar
Cornelius Bryan
William Gray
Archer Rutherford
Josiah Shipman Jr.
John Stephen
John J. Woodick
Reuben Moore
John Weeks
John Hickman
William Pinnell
Byron Mcgreath
Thomas Benton
Peter Harrison
Reuben Hrother
David Richardson Jr.
Edward T. Rowgee
John Roper
Thomas Cowler
John Pierce
James Hill
William Stabler
Francis Hague
Mahlon Jenny
Thomas Mason
John Hough
John Hollingsworth
William Aniby
Livan Powell
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Alexander Campbell
Henry (Hath?)
James Binford
Benjamin Lewis
William Lawrence
Joseph Butter
Thomas Nicholson
Adam Craig
B. Rawlings
Thomas Carneal
Matthew Woodson
William Hughes
Stephen Ruddill
Richard Hughes
Morgan Bryan
Michael Waring
William Dunnavan
J. Shipman Sr.
Jacob Myer
B. Tilden
John Hickman
Samuel Jenkins
James Samuel Wright
Daniel Field
John Thornhill
James Robertson
Thomas Maddox
William Thomas
John West
Richard Pope
John Gadbury
Henry Cowler
Walter Hopkins
Francis Lennard
Joseph Beale
Isaac Harris
Samuel Haugh
John Hirsh
William Hough
Joseph Wood
Nathaniel Stephens
William Hartshorn,
Abraham Gilpin
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John Barrit
Isaac (Younghusband?)
Charles Copland
(Lain?) J Johnson
Robert Gambler
John Butter
William Carter (Sr.?)
Robert Langley
John Harris
James Ferguson
Josiah Woodson
Thomas Harrison
John Claypott
Paul Kauster
Abner Wiseman
Robert Harrison
Joseph Domey
James Spinks
Josiah Moore
Hugh Kennedy
Hezekiah (Bonkon?)
Jessie Veach
Michael Humble
Reason Benton
Hercules Hawkins
John Hartford
James Haughter
Daniel Carrole
Edward Teffin
Richard Johnson
William Armistead
John Hackaday
William Williamson
John Christian
Robert Drake
Stephen Wilson
Benjamin Willett
Isaac Moore
John Schooley
Benjami Hereford
Francis Hereford
John Littlejohn
Benjamin (Shreve?)
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Page four
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John Davenport
Samuel B. Harris
Thomas Ocean
Charles Hewlit
Joseph Dobby
Goerge Hite
Lewis Duckwell
Philip Clover
Ambrose Clark
James Hedges
Thomas Hale
Presley Boydston
Alexander Lenierr
Joseph Franklin Jr.
Enoch Martin
Benjamin Welsh
(?Joseph) Hare
William Heil
Moses? Harlan
James Baley
Richard Barrett
Robert Haines
Robert Evans
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John Turner
Elijah Phelps
Jh. Granthan
John Bond
James Daveion
James Laurence
James Law
Thomas Halladay
Stephen Harlin
Jessie Harlan
Benjamin (Boydston?)
Ralph Potter
Baid Cross
Hezekiah Stephens
Nathaniel Mulliner
Edward Frojatt?
Evan Rogers
Richard Ridgeway
Joseph Smith
John Cowgill
Isaac(?) Smith
John Ellis
Samuel Pleasants
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Edward Tiffin
James Lee
Henry Smith
George Reed
(Obscured) Frum
Peter McMahon
William Ambrose
Michel Gray
(Gn.?) Bailey
Joshua Hodges
John Welsh Jr.
Lindsey Marshall
William Lemon
John Murphy
George Manual
James Hood
Jonathon Wright
Edward Beeson
Nathaniel White Jr.
William Supton
David (Faulhaus?)
John Witt
James Wood
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Thornton Fleming
Robert Carter
Robert Lowe
Thomas Taylor
Abner Golet
Aaron Dolby
Nicholas Stovin
Frederick Duckwell
John Butter
John Hite
Samuel J. Welsh
Michael Porter
Thomas Curry
Solomon Chaffis
Joseph Gee
Jonas Hodges Jr.
James Mendenhall
Abraham Branson
Joseph Bond
Isaac Brown
James (Lupton?)
Robert Pleasants
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John Steed
William Hite
George Bruce
(Meneios?) Ellis
Josiah P. Clutter
Joseph Fletcher
John Fennis
Charles Robinson
William Mereir
Joseph Hedges
Joseph Fohman
Richard Swift
John Franklin
Jacob Fletcher
Solomon Chalsen
Abel Walker
Nathaniel White Sr.
David Ross
Nathan Haines
Stephen McBride
John (McHarrison?)
James Lownes
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Anthony Hall
Joseph Hite
James Wall
Samuel Smith
James Crumbley
John Knott
Joseph Duckwell
John Barlaw
John Dougherty
John Vinsanheller
Thomas Boydston
Joseph Stone
Joseph Franklin
Thomas Perkin
Christian Bloom
John Antrein
William McPherson
Daniel Brown
Samuel Finish
Lewis Walker
Joseph (?)
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