The Alexandria Herald

NEW YORK. NOV. 26.

The following was handed to us by a passenger in the sloop Lady Washington, from Savannah, captured some days since by the Plantagenet, and ransomed. The gentleman who is the bearer of the petition, was a prisoner on board the Plantagenet five days, and informs us that he received it from one of the petitioners whose family resides in Philadelphia.

H. M. S. Plantagenet, R. Lloyd, Captain, cruising off New-York, November 21st, 1813.

SIR,--WE YOUR PETITIONERS DO HUMBLY PRAY, That you will please to lay our case before the president and the house of representatives, as being citizens of the U. States, and being compelled to serve on board of his Britannic majesty's ship, as above contrary to the law of nations; and moreover, we your petitioners, have made application to the board of admiralty at London, before the said ship sailed for the coast of America; and before we wrote to the board. As soon as we heard hostilities had commenced between Great Britain and the United States, we made application to the captain of the above ship, and the said captain gave us abuse and threatened to send us on board of a guard ship ---When we, your petitioners, could get no redress, we laid our case before the board of admiralty, and have every reason to believe, that we were ordered to be discharged or considered as prisoners of war. We your petitioners, are not allowed to speak or hold conversation with any Americans, who are at times on board, from coasters and small craft that the above ship at times detains.

Your petitioner, James Killigan, a citizen of Philadelphia, served the term of seven years to the hatting business. I was bound apprentice in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, to Adam Champfler, in Elfrith's alley, in the above city, and he declining business, when I had served better than three years, I was turned over to Frederick Krider, in Second-street, and with him I served the remainder of my apprenticeship. I worked near one year after I was out of my time, when I married the daughter of Robert Jordan, of the above city of Philadelphia, when my mother, Rebecca Riding, widow of Thomas Riding, (my step father) set me up in business for myself, in Callowhill-street, Philadelphia, where I carried on business for some time, but getting slack I declined and followed the sea I shipped in the ship America, belonging to Messrs. Nicklin and Griffith, commanded by Capt. Simms, for Canton, in the year 1799, in the month of March, when affidavit was made before Clement Biddle, and accordingly entered in the custom house. I hear that my mother died in the year 1805, and the property left me is in the hands of Mr. Thomas Rimmer, shoemaker, in Second-street, two doors above Chesnut-street, Philadelphia, and the other is Mr. Edward Rowley, in Front-street, two or three doors above Market-street, Philadelphia. My wife's brothers, when I left Philadelphia, carried on the plastering business. The name of one is Samuel Jordan, at the corner of Eleventh and Race, or Sassafras-streets--the other brother is Alexander Jordan, in Race or Sassafras-street, between Twelfth and Broad. Philadelphia.-- I hope that you will please to investigate into this affair, and not let me be considered as an enemy to my country, which I am bound to protect, by all laws, human and divine--And I am certain that it must be against nature to be against one's own flesh and blood--but I am determined they shall have my life before they shall force me. I hope you will take my case under your sage consideration, & your petitioner shall ever pray.

JAMES KILLIGAN.

Your petitioner, Joseph Parker, a native of the state of Virginia, seaman, has served his time out at Norfolk, in the above state, humbly begs that you will please to enquire of Capt. Barron, who formerly commanded the Chesapeake frigate when I sailed with him at that time, or to Stephen Decatur, who personally knows me, as I was a servant under his command. I hope that you will please to take my case under your consideration, & your petitioner shall ever pray

JOSEPH PARKER.