To His Excellency Tho^s E. Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky;

We the undersigned citizens of Clinton and Russell counties, would respectfully represent to your Honor, that at the last term of the Russell Circuit Court, James. M. Smith was sentenced and sent to the State Penetentiary for ten years for taking a small sum of money from William Lucas; and having known him for many years, humbly petition that he may meet with Executive Clemency and receive pardon.

They respectfully represent that before the Rebellion they knew him to be an honest, industrious and sober boy, and that since the Rebellion he has been, all the time, faithful and untiring friend of the union, and served mthe most of the War in the Union army and was a good soldier We further represent that said Smith is a poor boy and under the pressure for the conviction of the violators of law, we believe that said Smith did not have the same chance for a fair trial as he would have had under different circumstances and at a time when this pressure was removed. Said Smith did not have witnesses by which he could have proven important facts in his defense

We believe that said Smith if liberated would make a peaceable and law abiding Citizen.

We therefore humbly petition your honor to pardon said Smith and restore him to a broken hearted mother, who is dependent, mainly, on him for a Support.

Dec^r 20^th 1865

W^m Vann