 In the 1st petition of the Ashworths', forty seven citizens endorsed and knew the Ashworths' for years and swore that they were "peaceable and respectable citizens" all the petitioners agreed that the act of February 5 of 1840 would "operate oppressively upon the said Ashworths's, and they therefore asked Congress to exempt them from its general scope.In the 2nd petition that was submitted on the behalf of William and his brother Abner Ashworth, seventy two citizens from Jefferson County noted how the two, despite being "free persons of color," they had "contributed generously to the advancement of the revolution.