Civil War Washington

To the Commissioners appointed under the Act of Congress approved April 16, 1862, entitled, "An Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia."

The Petition of Margaret Gormley of Georgetown D. C. respectfully shews​, that she is a person loyal to the United States, who, at the time of the passage of the said Act of Congress, held a claim to service or labor against a person of African descent, named Mary Helena Payne, for her life, who was discharged from said claim by said Act; that at that time she was about twenty five years of age; she is black, short and stout, very healthy and of the value of nine hundred dollars; she was purchased many years ago by the husband of your petitioner and was taken by your petitioner, at the appraisement, when she administered upon her said husband's estate.

Your Petitioner hereby declares that she bears true allegiance to the government of the United States and has not born​ arms against the United States in the present rebellion nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto; that she has not brought said Mary H. Payne into the District of   Columbia, since the passage of said Act of Congress, and she was held to service by virtue of petitioner's claim at the date of the passage of said act and that said claim does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against the government of the United States, and your Petitioner knows of no defects or infirmities, mental, moral or physical, calculated to affect the value of said woman as above stated—

She prays you to investigate and determine the validity of her said claim, to appraise and report the same in pursuance of the Act of Congress &c &c