Henderson June 7"/65
Gov^r
Thos E Bramlette
Sir:

At the [...] term of theHenderson Circuit Court 1859 one Henry Pointer — a free negro, was indicted for immigrating to this State. At the June term 1862 he was put upon his trial, but the jury failing to agree, the case was continued.

The facts of the case, as developed by the testimony, are that, many years ago, this man went to Arkansas, with his wife, who was a slave. He remained there till the death of his wife, when he returned to this county, where all his kinsfolk & friends live. He is a blacksmith by trade, & enjoys a good character. He is temperate, industrious & has passed through the demoralizing influences of the last several years without reproach.

I am his counsel, &, as such, feel it to be my duty to put his case before you, & give my opinion that it is one that commends itself to excecutive clemency. The negroes of this section of the state are worse than worthless. They come & go to & from Ky with unchallenged impunity, & it would, it seems to me, be severe that Henry Pointer should

suffer the penalty of a law that is in truth obsolete, and, as the world wags, "more honored in the breach than the observance". It would be gratifying to me, & most certainly to my client, if you should favorably consider his case. I herewith send you a copy of the indictment.

Our court opens on the 12^th of this this month, & I should be pleased, therefore, to hear from you, at your earliest convenience.

Very respectfully
Y^r Ob^t Sv^t
John Young Brown

Henderson Cir Ct
vs
Henry Pointer
f M C.
Pardoned
28 June/65