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Negro Rachel Brent v. John Armfield.
A person cannot be a resident of two States at the same time.
In order to protect the title of a sojourner to his slave, brought in under the
The title of the defendant to the slave is not protected by the 4th section of the act, if he suffer the slave to remain two years after he himself has returned.
This was a petition for freedom
The defendant claimed under Mr. Ariss Buckner, of Virginia.
The petitioner claimed freedom by having been brought into
The defendant claimed a right to bring in his slaves, under the 2d section of the act; as being a person coming into Washington with a
The court, (Thruston, J., absent,) at the prayer of Mr. Key, for the petitioner, instructed the jury that Mr. Buckner could not be a settled and
Mr. Taylor then prayed the Court to instruct the jury, that if, from the evidence aforesaid, the jury should believe that the said Ariss Buckner removed to Washington as a sojourner, then he was not entitled, under the
Which instruction, the Court refused to give; but, at the prayer of Mr. Key, for the petitioner, instructed the jury in substance, that the defendant was not protected under the said 4th section of that act, if the said Ariss Buckner returned and removed his family to Virginia in December, 1830, and left the petitioner hired out in Washington till June, 1832, and did not attempt to remove her until that time when he sent for her.
Mr. Key, for the petitioner. Mr Taylor, for the defendant.
Verdict for the petitioner.