W. E. Price states that his slave Cuggoe "absconded from his servis in the state of Alabama on or about … 1835 and that your petioner came across him in Texas in the year 1856 and Acquired posesion of said negro." Price charges that James Davis of Polk County conspired with Cuggoe to file his petition for freedom on the grounds that the black man was in Texas under the Mexican government before the Texas Declaration of Independence. Price argues that this is "holy contrary to the constitution of the Republic of Texas." He prays that a law be passed requiring "all persons of color that was slaves Before they came to Texas Eather By absconding or Runing away from the legal owner and came to Texas Before the Declaration of Independance of Texas shall Be Delivered up to the Legal owner with Damage on Satisfacttary proof that such negro was Realy A Slave Before he came to Texas and that his Being in Texas Before the independence Shall not Be so Construed as to give him his freedom."
Result: Rejected.
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Repository: Texas State Library-Archives Division, Austin, Texas
