Lewis Bolah, a free man of color, represents that he was born in Richmond, Virginia, and was sold, "in consequence of the pecuniary embarrassments of his former owner," to Waters Clarke of the City of New Orleans. He further recounts that he betrayed an insurrection plot among slaves, free people of color, and "a few abandoned and lawless white persons" in 1812; he surmises that had he not disclosed said "horrible conspiracy," there would have been a "general scene of conflagration, murder and robbery & the City of New Orleans and the surrounding Country if possible would have exhibited a spectacle of ruin and desolation exceeding anything which formerly transpired in St Domingo." Bolah states that the legislature of Louisiana was "pleased to consider the conduct of your Petitioner & some others as useful and meritorious" and "passed an act to purchase and emancipate them." Fearing for his safety, Bolah reports that he returned the following year to Richmond. The petitioner therefore "humbly prays the Legislature to pass an act authorizing and permitting him to remain and reside within this Commonwealth."
Result: Reasonable.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
