As a slave, Fincastle Sterrett was sent to distant points, from Baltimore to New Orleans, to transact business for his owner, William King, a merchant. Sterrett was entrusted to handle large sums of money without "the slightest suspicion of improper conduct." King frequently assured Sterrett that "he should have his Freedom;" and, in anticipation of that moment, he even allowed Sterrett "to purchase Real property and enjoy the Benefits of it; in no one respect did he treat him as a slave." But "not withstanding this Humane and Benignant intention," King died "without having made his contemplated provision for" Sterrett's freedom. Sterrett was sold, but he was purchased by a relative of King, who set him free. "In the first emotions of Freedom," Sterrett tells the court, "he joyfully fancyd he would date his existence from that period," only to find out that he must now leave the state "that gave him Birth, and abandon forever a family to which he is attached by the sacred ties of Friendship and Gratitude." "To return to a state of slavery the thought is dreadfull but between that and the sacrifice your petitioner will have to make in order to save himself and injoy the Blessing of the Haven he had in view, there is very little or no difference." He asserts that "Could he certainly be a Slave to the indulgent Family who raised him he would prefer it to the expatriation that awaits him but he fondly hopes his Country will interfere and mitigate the rigor of a Rule destructive to One who tho a slave has been raised the companion of freemen & who tho a Man of Color possesses Character, Integrity, & Sensibility." He begs to be permitted to stay in Virginia.
Result: Rejected; bill drawn.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
