Thomas W. Riley to Thomas E. Bramlette

Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-2609

Document Genre

Petition

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867

Item Location

BR16-167 to BR16-168

Place of Creation

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

14 October 1865

Dates Mentioned

1865-10-14

1864-07-05

Louisville 14 Oct 1865
To His Excellency
Thomas E Bramlette.

Persons here suppose that the Proclamation of yesterday modifying the proclamation of 5 July 1864 has left in your hands the power to pardon prisoners confined in the State Penetentiary under sentences by the Military tribunals in this Department, and petition is being got up to your Excellency asking for a pardon for Henry Turner of Nelson County Kentucky, and I have been requested by his friends and relatives to unite in the effort for his discharge.

I am not informed on this question of Executive power, and have not examined into it — Nor do I pretend to any credit with your Excellency that in could influence you in the Exercise of the great prerogative of mercy — I can therefore only add my name to the list of those who may Appeal to you
for the young mans pardon & discharge.

That the pardoning power is sometimes improperly exercised no one can deny — that it is sometimes withheld where it could be properly and safely extended, admits of as little doubt — it is the great Executive ornament, the great Crown jewel of every Christion Prince on earth, and an unjustifiable use of it by a ruler is an offence that the accusing Angel blushes to relate.

Henry Turner is the son of a poor widow of Bardstown Kentucky, and one, the youngest I believe of three boys who stood bravely at their mothers door to defend it against the approach of want — they were all sober, industrious, Loyall — And when it was known that he had disappeard from his home, and united with bad men to disturb the peace of the country, the astonishment and sorrow of his familiy & acquaintances were boundless —

He offers the excuse, by its repetition now become stale and of little worth, that he was seduced into error, like thousands of others,
by older and worse men who have had the good fortune and address to escape the penalties of their crimes, and left their dupes and their victims to a fate, that, however merited, should have been shared at least by its true authors.

I beg your Excellency's pardon for causing you the trouble to hear the old story of private sorryow, or the attempt to influence you in any degree to depart from a line of public duty — perhaps my personal obligations to your Excellency, incurred under circumstances, somewhat similar, have encouraged me to hope that "the charity that never faileth" may rule the hour when the case of the widow's son comes under consideration.

I remain you Excellence's
obliged & humble servt
Tho. W. Riley

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