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� In the State of Me. To the Honorable the Senators + Representatives in Legisla- ture assembled.

    The undersigned Ladies of Winthrop, ask leave

respectfully [insert] to represent, that the enslavement of Several hundreds of famalis in the District of Columbia + the Territories of the United States is a grievous evil + grossly in- consistent with the inherent + inalienable rights of man, as well as the free institutions of our Country. They therefore pray you to ask the Senators + Representatives in Con- gress from this State to use their influence + best in- deavors to obtain from that body the removal of an [insert] evil so reproachful to an enlightened, free, Christian government, and so offensive + injurious to an unoffending class of hu- man beings; and that they would exert themselves to have the slave trade carrid on in the District of Columbia abolished.

    They also pray, that they may be requested to attempt to 

effect the repeal of those laws under the operation of which free colored citizens of the North, who visit the Capitol of this Republic, are liable to be sold into perpetual slavery be- cause unable to prove their right to freedom.

    They would also respectfully inquire of your honorable

Body, whether some further legal provision cannot consist- ently be made to prevent or suppress mobs, got up to dis- turb, annoy, + injure the property + the persons of the loyal citizens of this State, [line out start] peaceably assemble to exercise the invalua- ble right of free discussions,[end line out] + to afford them more compe- tent protection, when peaceably assembled to exercise the invaluable right of free discussion. And as in duty bound Winthrop, Feb. 18, 1837

[3 columns of signatures] Mevey Lancaster Ann M Glight Olivia M Benjamin Ruth M Mann Hannah Chandler Elizabeth H Davis Lydia L Bridgham Mary L Mitchell Eunice Nolcuy[?] Cynthia W. May Deborah W Chandler Nancy Perrott Alliana Stanley Sarah Dearborn Bethiah House Abigail N. Bean Sophia C Martin Sarah Prescott