To His Excellency
Gov Thos. E. Bramlette
Frankfort Ky
Sir

The undersigned, loyal citizens of Harrison & Bourbon and other counties of the State of Kentucky respectfully beg leave to make the following representations to your Excellency as the Governor of the Commonwealth and ask your interposition in their behalf to such extent as you deem just, right and patriotic.

They state that they are farmers, ^and distillers^ in their respective neighborhoods, and have been for years distillers, usually distilling the grain of their own product, and sometimes purchasing the surplus of their neighbors, thus furnishing a market for the surplus grain.

They state that before any [...] order was made restricting the distillation of grain that they had incurred much expense in getting ready to distil.

They state that they have large number of hogs of their raising and purchase — each having from 200 to 900 stock hogs to feed and winter and fatten, and that the grain they now have on hand is not more than

suffiicent to keep and feed their hogs, and if it is taken they will suffer comparable loss and injury, without coresponding benefit accruing to the Government — They state that the swill from the grain in distilling, fed warm to the stock, will feed and keep as many hogs as the corn in its natural state.

They state that they have acted under the order of Brig Gen Boyle, issued under instructions from Maj Gen Burnside, restricting them to distilling of grain of their own product, except on five cases of permits given by Gen Boyle, as it is understood with approval of General Burnside, allowing portion of the corn purchased before the issuing of the order to be distilled, on portion being furnished to the Government.

They state that they grain they have is nearly all of their own product, and that it is necessary to feed the stock they have on hand. Beside a large number of hogs to be fed by them, there cattle and some mules are kept and fed upon the swill. The grain is absolutely necessary to sustain and keep their stock. The hogs, mules and cattle are necessary for the country and for the army and the use they make of it must inure to the general and public benefit. And the taking the grain from them will inflict a serious and comparable loss and injury to them

and to their families, and they ask to be allowed to distil their grain — grain of their own product and that your Excellency procur permission to this effect and protection to them against molestation in distilling —

They state that they are licensed distillers, have paid to the Collector of Internal Revenue the tax or lic[...]ense fees, as required by act of Congress.

They state that the licenses were taken out and paid for, and much expense incurred by them, in good faith, under the Order of Gen Boyle, approved by Gen Burnside believing that the said order would be observed in good faith by the Military authorities —

They suppose that they will be allowed to feed their grain to their stock to keep same from perishing, but then ask to feed it in form of swill, and that they may be allowed to distil the grain of their own raising in the manner which will be most profitable to them and will sustain and keep well the largest amount of stock.

As delay occasions much loss to them they respectfully request the early attention of your Excellency to the subject

We are Respectfully Yr Obt Servts