to the Mississippi General Assembly
The petition of Andrew Barland of Jefferson County To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Mississippi;
Your petitioner Humbly Sheweth That he is the offspring of a white man by a mulatto woman- That he was born in Adams County and is now about thirty nine years of age, that his father gave him a decent education and property enough to be independent, that he intermarried with a respectable white family, by which said wife he has two children, that he has resided about sixteen years in the County of Jefferson and is well known to the most respectable Citizens of said County, that he has almost in every case & by every means, been treated and received as well as tho he had been a white man and of fair character; that he has been summoned as a juror very often and served as Grand & Petit Juror and often given testimony in open court as a Legal witness- that his vote at elections has often been taken & for many years your petitioner has enjoyed all the privileges of a free white Citizen, but a controversy with a bad man of the name of Joseph Hawk caused an exception to be taken to your petitioners testimony on account of his blood, but with pride your petitioner can state, that altho his oath was refused the jury who tried the cause gave a verdict in favor of the word of your petitioner altho opposed by the oath of his adversary, a white man- Your petitioner further sheweth to your Honorable bodies that his education, his habits, his principles and his society are all identified with your views, that he holds slaves and can Know no other interest than that which is common to the white population, that his sisters have all married white men of fair and respectable standing and have always recd. the same respect shewn to white women of the same station in society.
Your petitioner prays your Honorable. bodies, to extend to your petitioner such privileges as his Count[r]y men may think him worthy to possess, and them and to their recommendation your petitioner most confidently refers your Hon. bodies & your petitioner will ever pray.
[signed]
Andrew Barland
We whose names are hereto subscribed have know[n] Andrew Barland for many years, some have known him from his childhood others as long as they have lived in the County, and view him as a most excellent man honest, moral, industrious and worthy the granting of privileges of a free man, and recommend him for that purpose, but should the
[signed]
P. B. Harrison
R. Dunbar Jun.
Tho. Hinds
Philip Dixon
B. M. Bullen
K.H. Holmes
Jas. G. Wood
Wm M. Green
James Dunbar
Jacob Stampley-Senior
Filmer W. Green
Abner Pipes
Wm Harper
Source: Legislative Petitions, Petition of Andrew Barland of Jefferson County to the Mississippi General Assembly, ca. 1824, RG 47, boxes 16-7, MDAH; Certificate, P.B. Harrison, et al., ca 1824. No act was passed. PAR #11082401.