John Carmille, who "for many years past has endeavored to conduct himself as an upright & useful citizen," reveals that "it was his fortune to form a domestic connection" with Henrietta, his female slave; twenty-six-year-old Henrietta has borne him three children: Charlotte, age eleven, Francis, age five, and Nancy, age three. Aware that "he is open to censure as infringing the rules of propriety & decorum," Carmille nonetheless has "no alternative but to make the present application or he remain indifferent to the present melancholy situation of his family," as they are "all of the class called Mulattoes, & according to the laws of this state in the condition of absolute Slaves." He therefore puts forth that his object "is to Solicit" the interposition of the legislature to "adopt such measures as may effect the emancipation of the said slaves." The petitioner "indulges the loud hope that a proceeding of the Legislature so unforeseen [as the act passed last session] will not be permitted to have the deplorable effect of rivetting on his partner & children the bonds of perpetual & remediless slavery."
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
