<petition><petition_analysis_number>11481503</petition_analysis_number><petition_url>https://dlas.uncg.edu/petitions/petition/11481503</petition_url><state>Tennessee</state><county>Humphreys</county><location_type>County</location_type><file_day>28</file_day><file_month>10</file_month><file_year>1815</file_year><filing_court>Legislative</filing_court><result>referred to propositions and grievances</result><enslaved_count>0</enslaved_count><fpoc_count>0</fpoc_count><total_people_count>10</total_people_count><repository>Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee</repository><abstract>Eighty-five petitioners defend John Farmer, "whom we believe to be an honest, upright and good citizen" and who "has been deprived of the privileges of a Free Citizen."  They report that Farmer, in the heat of an argument, stated that Thomas Laneir "had sold a parcel of free negroes"; Laneir sued and Farmer later "gave Laneir a piece of writing importing that what he had said was the effect of passion and that he was sorry for it."  The petitioners, not pretending "to say that his assertions against Laneir were correct," do, however, "fully believe that it was the general opinion, at that time, that Laneir was concerned in the selling of sd free negroes."  They therefore "humbly pray that said John Farmer may be restored to all the privileges of Citizenship, which we think him in justice entitled to."</abstract><subjects><subject>Slander</subject><subject>Kidnapping (FPOC)</subject></subjects></petition>