Request of a Free Black Person, December 6, 1815

To the Honourable the Assembly of Virginia

Your Petitioner Nancy begs leave to state that her late Master John A. Binns decd. of the County of Loudoun who made Several wills in all of which as well as by his last will & Testament left her free when she arrived to the Age of twenty five Years, which period has arrived and she is the Mother of three Children from whom she will be torn which will be almost as severe as the loss of life unless your Honourable body will thro' pity to a Mother altho of Sable hue who has all the feelings of an Affectionate Mother towards her Children pass an act allowing her to reside in the state as She is informed that under the Existing laws she will be compelled to leave the Commonwealth. As to her Character she brings Sundry persons to vouch for her uniform good Conduct & Industry whilst a slave & trusts that if allowed to stay with her Children & place where she was raised she shall find a double inducement to prompt her to Industry and good behaviour She begs leave to refer you to a Certificate of a few, She has thought it unnecessary to add More as some of them are well known to several [of] your Honourable body as also in the Senate In Hopes & earnest expectation that you will take pity on your petitioners forlorn Situation if Compelled to leave her Children & relieve her by passing an Act to allow her to reside within the Commonwealth She will ever pray &c