Respectfully presents and complains your
petitioner, PeterPeter , a colored man, that he is held in
slavery unlawfully and against right as he believes, by
John RichardsonJohn Richardson of the County of St. LouisCounty of St Louis under
the following circumstances.

In the spring of the year 1833, he was the lawful slave of said RichardsonRichardson , and was by him
taken to DubuqueDubuque in the Territory of IowaIowa and there
worked for his master in the business of mining at or
about said period. That he has remained in said place
for a space of about eight years, by and with the
consent and direction of the said RichardsonRichardson .
That said Territory is a portion of the United StatesUnited States
in which slavery is not allowed by the laws of the
United StatesUnited States, and therefore your petitioner belives he is
fully entitled to his freedom.

Wherefore he prays the Honorable Court, that
an order may be granted, allowing the petitioner to sue in
the Circuit CourtCircuit Court of St. Louis County, as a poor person, to
establish his right to freedom; that counsel may be assigned
him; that he have reasonable liberty to attend his counsel
and the court, as occassion may require; that he be not removed
out of the jurisdiction of the Court; and that he be not
subjected to any security on account of his application
for freedom.