After further reflection I wish to thank you for pointing this out. I have repeatedly attempted to inform Jeff that Freed Slaves became citizens, and were then able to pass on that citizenship to their children. I note on the document that it explicitly identifies Samuel Bedley as an AMERICAN CITIZEN.
So not only is this an example of a "Seaman Protection paper" it is further proof that I am correct about freed slaves being citizens.
This arrow will go in my quiver.
You may be right, but I wouldn’t use a pre printed form to try to prove your case. He may have been a citizen in the same sense as women were citizens, he could own property, including slaves, and could pass that property onto his children; but he probably couldn’t vote depending upon the state where he lived. The rules and laws surrounding manumission were varied by both place and time, so its not advisable to make too many generalizations.
A very interesting account in the form of a diary of a freed black man named William Johnson of Natchez, Mississippi can be found here:
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai/identity/text4/williamjohnsondiary.pdf
As the abolitionist movement gained momentum, the life of freed slaves actually became more difficult, especially in the South.
The man’s name was Samuel Redley.