Covington Ky
March 14^th 1861
Gov^r Magoffin

D^r Sir yesterday evening old M^r Temple was found guilty by a jury in our court of False swearing His friends in Newport where he formerly resided for a number of years are very unanimously in favor of having him pardoned and I understand Col Hodge will be over here tomorrow on his way to see you in his behalf I have been very busily engaged in court all the morning and have had but a momt moment to devote to making an effort to get ^make^ any preperation to by ^present^ his case properly before ^to^ you And ^sending^ such petitions are so common

it seems like imposing on your good nature to ask your clemency I was taken quite unwell at noon & have been confined to my house since then during the forenoon every one that spoke of the case were anxious to have the old man pardoned I have not heard of a single dissenting voise I spoke to M^r Arthur Aty for the Commonwealth he says he is very desirous he should be released but he would rather avoid writing to you but he will do so if you will not grant a pardon without his recomendation All the jurors whom I have spoken to will sign a recomdation and nearly all had done so when I left

where I left the court house all who were there had done so several went last night to their houses & have not returned to day it I am confident all will write in the matter if they can be rea found [...] before Col Hodge leaves here for Frankfort I am too unwell to go into details of the case but I feel confident if you will pardon the old man your authority be universally approved of ^here to^ and you need have no fear of having done an improper act

Your Respectfully
R K Sunnewell