Northup's friends and family get the letter. They talk to a white lawyer, Henry B. Northup, who talks to the governor of New York. Henry Northup is given official permission to go to Louisiana to look for Solomon Northup and bring him back to New York. Henry Northup travels to Washington D.C. to talk to a senator from Louisiana first then goes to Louisiana to talk to judges and officials. He has trouble finding Solomon Northup because he does not know he is being called "Platt." Eventually, they find the Canadian, who tells them Solomon Northup's fake name. Henry Northup finds Solomon Northup and shows the county sheriff proof that Solomon Northup really is a free man. Solomon Northup goes north with Henry Northup.