Letter to Robert Pleasants, 1778-11-02

              Little River Perquimans County No. Carolina 25th 11th Moth.1778.
Dear Friend Robert Pleasants, 
With the salutation of true love these lines may Inform 
thee that I received thy acceptabe Letter on th 3rd Instant with the 
epistles & papers therin Inclosed. which were satisfactory and Intend 
to lay them before the Quarterly Meeting the last of this month 
as to thy Request for Information what hath been done in relation to the 
negroes Sold into a second Bondage the following judgement of the Superior 
Court will Fully Inform thee Viz. 
State of North Carolina Edonton District  "At a Superior Court of Law begun and held for the District of Edenton at the Court House at 
Edenton on Monday the Second Day of November in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Eight. 
I obedience to a [Certiorain?] Issued by an order of this court to the Clerk of the County of Perquimans relative to the sale of certain 
negroes manumitted by Divers persons of the Sect called Quakers
the said proceedings being duly returned and Certified and arguments having been heard. The Court for Divers and manifest [?] 
gulantries in the face of the Records Certified and because it appears to them that the said County Court in such their proceedings have 
Exceeded their jurisdiction, violated the rights of the subjects and acted in direct opposition of the Bill of Rights of this State 
Considered justly as a part of the constitution thereof, by [Giving?] a 
law not intended to wffect this case a Retrospective Opperation 
thereby to Deprive free men of this srare of their Liberty Contrary to the Laws of the Land . 
Ordered therefore that the proceedings so Certfied be [qualified?] and held as null & void. 
Copy from the minutes, 
Wm. Righton doe Cha. Bondfield [?]
Two Coppy 
Some of the purchasers seem inclinable to let their negroes have their Liberty and others are sending them away in a private manner. 
So that it is not yet known fully how matters will terminate. 
I have been much indisposed both in Body and Mind since I saw thee last 
and have lately buried two small children and my wife 
in but a poor state of health at present who joyns? with me 
in the salute of Love to self and family. 
and Remain thy affectionate friend, 
Thomas Nicholson