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AMH2092 OER: African American History and Culture Module 4: Primary Resource Document

Freedom Petition of Felix (Unknown)

Source Overview: The freedom petition, written by a slave named Felix in January 1773, was the first

of five such petitions submitted to Massachusetts governor, Thomas Hutchinson, the General Court,

over the next two years. This petition was soon published as a pamphlet, which ensured wider

circulation of the petitions message and purpose. While there had been other freedom petitions

submitted to courts, this was the first one brought before a legislature in New England. (PBS, n.d.) (1)

PETITION OF SLAVES IN BOSTON.

PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

To His Excellency, Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., Governor: —

To the Honorable, His Majesty's Council, and to the Honorable House of Representatives, in

general court assembled at Boston, the 6th Day of January, 1773: — The humble petition of many

slaves living in the town of Boston, and other towns in the province is this, namely: —

That Your Excellency and Honors, and the Honorable the Representatives, would be pleased to

take their unhappy state and condition under your wise and just consideration.

We desire to bless God, who loves mankind, who sent his Son to die for their salvation, and

who is no respecter of persons, that he hath lately put it into the hearts of multitudes on both sides of

the water, to bear our burthens, some of whom are men of great note and influence, who have pleaded

our cause with arguments, which we hope will have their weight with this Honorable Court.

We presume not to dictate to your Excellency and Honors, being willing to rest our Cause on

your Humanity and justice, yet would beg Leave to say a Word or two on the Subject.

Although some of the negroes are vicious, (who, doubtless may be punished and restrained by

the same laws which are in force against other of the King's subjects) there are many others of a quite

different character, and who, if made free, would soon be able, as well as willing, to bear a part in the

public charges. Many of them, of good natural parts, are discreet, sober, honest, and industrious; and

may it not be said of many, that they are virtuous and religious, although their condition is in itself so

unfriendly to religion, and every moral virtue except patience? How many of that number have there

been, and now are in this province, who have had every day of their lives embittered with this most

intolerable reflection, that, let their behavior be what it will, neither they nor their children to all

generations, shall ever be able to do, or to possess and enjoy any thing — no, not even life itself — but

in a manner as the beasts that perish!

We have no Property! we have no wives! we have no children! we have no city! no country!

But we have a Father in heaven, and we are determined, as far as his grace shall enable us, and as far

as our degraded contemptuous Life will admit, to keep all his commandments; especially will we be

obedient to our masters, so long as God, in his sovereign providence, shall suffer us to be holden in

bondage.

It would be impudent, if not presumptuous, in us to suggest to Your Excellency and Honors,

any law or laws proper to be made in relation to our unhappy state, which although our greatest

AMH2092 OER: African American History and Culture Module 4: Primary Resource Document

unhappiness, is not our fault; and this gives us great encouragement to pray and hope for such relief as

is consistent with your wisdom, justice and goodness.

We humbly beg leave to add but this one thing more: we pray for such relief only, which by

no possibility can ever be productive of the least wrong or injury to our masters, but to us will be as

life from the dead.

SIGNED, FELIX. (15)

AMH2092 OER: African American History and Culture Module 4: Primary Resource Document

Sources Works cited

"Africans in America - Felix's Petition." PBS.org, accessed on 2 May, 2018,

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2h22.html .

Attributions

(1) Content by Florida State College at Jacksonville is licensed under CC BY 4.0

(15) "Felix" (Unknown) Slave Petition for Freedom (January 6. 1773) in The Appendix: or Some

observations on the expediency of the petition of the Africans living in Boston… by Lover of

constitutional liberty is in the Public Domain.