To his Excellency, Thomas E Bramlette, Governor of Kentucky.

Your petitioner, William Patterson, would respectfully state that he is the father of John Patterson, an unfortunate son — That said John Patterson in his youth, was a boy of good moral character, & never pained his parents by his improper conduct, until he grew up and fell under the influence of vicious associates, & into habits of intemperance, which, (being naturally weak minded) apparently demented him, and made him a reckless man. In this situation, he was charged with various violations of the law, but your petitioner, believing that the difficulties of his son grew out of his intemperance, rather than a want of moral principle; and desirous, if possible, to reform him, became his security in the four several recognizances for his appearance in the Mercer circuit court; not however, until he had solemnly promised to henceforth abstain from the use of ardent spirits — Your petitioner hopes however were not realized in the reformation of his son, and contrary to his wishes and efforts, his said son failed to appear & forfeited his said recognizances — He was however afterwards arrested, committed to jail, and left to his fate without any father interposition on the part of your petitioner, and at the present term of the Mercer Circuit court, has met the demands of public justice by a trial & conviction, which dooms him to the pentitentiary.

Your petitioner also states that at the present term of the said Mercer Circuit court court judgments have been taken against the said John and himself as his security, upon said forfeited recognizance, for the

sum of $500 each in two of the cases, & for the sum of $250 each in the other two cases, together with costs —

Your petitioner states that he is now advanced in years and is in feeble health, and that he has ever endeaveored both by precept and example to make his children good and worthy citizens — That he has but a small estate adquired by honest industry, and now has thrown upon his hands a large family of orphan grand-children for support, dependent upon his bounty, and whose father was murdered in the late war, by some of John Morgan's guerrillas — That the payment of said judgments will require the sacrifice of a large portion of his small estate, and produce in its consequence, a degree of suffering both to himself and those dependant upon him, which he [fam] hopes the clemency of your Excellency will avert by the remission of said four judgments; for which he will be ever gratified.

M. Patterson

Sworn to before me this Dec. 9^th 1865 by, W. Patterson

B. Magoffin

T. J. Fisher N, P, M, C,

{Revenue Stamp}
{[ T. ] J. Fisher
NOTARY PUBLIC
MERCER CO KY}

We the undersigned knowing William Patterson to be a worthy man, unite in the request for the remission of the judgments referred to in the foregoing petition.