Butler v. Duvall

This was a petition for freedom.

Upon the trial the following instructions were given by the Court to the j ury:

1. Upon the prayer of Mr. Coxe, for the petitioners, — That if the jury shall believe, from the evidence aforesaid, that Dales was the owner of the petitioners, or their parents, in the State of Maryland, or in Georgetown in the District of Columbia, and resided with them there, and subsequently removed to Virginia, and kept thefa in that State, one whole year together, that then the said petitioners are entitled to their freedom under the law of Virginia, unless the said Dales,…