11283502https://dlas.uncg.edu/petitions/petition/11283502North CarolinaRandolphCounty25111835Legislativerejected102North Carolina Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, North CarolinaRobert Walker requests the emancipation of his forty-year-old slave James, who has "been an honest & faithful Servant, & has amply paid him in labour for the sum he give when he purchased said James." Declaring that "the said slave James has a wife & five children, who are free & need his assistance for their support & maintenance," the petitioner prays that a law be passed "to emancipate & set the said James free & that he may enjoy all the privilledges of a Free negro." Walker's petition was refused. Even though over forty citizens of Randolph County rallied in support for freeing James, the committee noted "that heretofore it has ever been the practice of the Legislator to liberate slaves upon no other consideration than that of meritorious Services and in the present highly excited state of the times your committee Cannot recommend any departure from former usages."owner(s)/citizens manumit/free slave