Cadiz Ky, 11 March 1861
Hon^l B Magoffin
Sir

Som 12 months since E Vinson Jr a citizen of our Town, having been previously indicted for giving spirituous liquors to a slave, came into court & plead guilty. & accordingly Judgment rendered against him for a fine of Fifty dollars I am informed that the liquor was given to the slave man circumstances Altogether excusable but for the fact that it is [malu] prohibited & it was not done with an intention of violating the law, indeed the inhibition was not thought of at the time, M^r Vinson has a large family of young children and makes his living as a mechanic or house=builder and an upright moral and good citizen [...] not I am satisfied wifully to violate the law. He is very poor & his daily labour is consumed by the actual wants necessities of his family. I believe it a case in which greatly [...] good would be effected in remitting than in enforcing its collection & I hope your Excellency will take his case into kind consideration & remit the sum vs him. I am sure he will not again be guilty of the like offense

I am Truly
Your Obt Servt
Tho. C. Dabney