Дванадцять років рабства

           ItprovidesthatitshallbethedutyoftheGovernor,uponthereceiptofsatisfactoryinformationthatanyfreecitizenorinhabitantofthisState,iswrongfullyheldinanotherStateorTerritoryoftheUnitedStates,upontheallegationorpretencethatsuchpersonisaslave,orbycolorofanyusageorruleoflawisdeemedortakentobeaslave,totakesuchmeasurestoprocuretherestorationofsuchpersontoliberty,asheshalldeemnecessary. Andtothatend,heisauthorizedtoappointandemployanagent,anddirectedtofurnishhimwithsuchcredentialsandinstructionsaswillbelikelytoaccomplishtheobjectofhisappointment. Itrequirestheagentsoappointedtoproceedtocollecttheproperprooftoestablishtherightofsuchpersontohisfreedom;toperformsuchjourneys,takesuchmeasures,institutesuchlegalproceedings,&c.,asmaybenecessarytoreturnsuchpersontothisState, andchargesallexpensesincurredincarryingtheactintoeffect,uponmoneysnototherwiseappropriatedinthetreasury. 

           ItwasnecessarytoestablishtwofactstothesatisfactionoftheGovernor: First,thatIwasafreecitizenofNew-York;andsecondly,thatIwaswrongfullyheldinbondage. Astothefirstpoint,therewasnodifficulty,alltheolderinhabitantsinthevicinitybeingreadytotestifytoit. ThesecondpointrestedentirelyuponthelettertoParkerandPerry,writteninanunknownhand,andupontheletterpennedonboardthebrigOrleans,which,unfortunately,hadbeenmislaidorlost.