| From the book History of Preakness and the Preakness Reformed Church (Wayne Twp., Passaic County, New Jersey) by George Warne Labaw, Pastor of the Church.(1902) page 78-79 It will be interesting to insert here the copy of a petition from some of the Preakness people to the State Legislature under date of 1806. In 1804, an act was passed by the Legislature of New Jersey gradually abolishing slavery m the State. The people of this locality, many of whose names are in the petition, a list which will be carefully read by their descendants, sought by this means to have the act repealed. But let the petition, which we found in the State Library at Trenton, speak for itself: “To the Hon’ble the House of Assembly of the State of New Jersey, constitutionally convened.” The petition of the Inhabitants of Pracaness, Saddle River Township and County of Bergen: “Humbly sheweth, That your petitioners, sensible of the inconvenience already arisen, since the passing of the Act for the abolition of Slavery, and dreading the intolerable burden of accumulating Taxes, which will infallibly take place under the continuation of said Act,—We, your petitioners, humbly pray for a repeal of an Act entitled an Act for the gradual abolition of slavery. ALBERT BERDAN, JUN. DAVID SPEER |