Richmond Ky, Junely 1. 1861
His Excellency.
Gov. Magoffin
Dear Sir

At the last June term of the Madison Circuit Court Ezekiel H. Field Esq. one of our oldest and most worthy citizens was fined $40. for under an indictment found against him at the previous March term for suffering an old negro man to go at large and trade for himself- M^r Field Confessed Judgment on the indictment rather than have a trial before a Jury, when he beleived he could have successfully defeated the indictment.

The circumstances of the case are about these, he has no family, is boarding with a son in law. and rents an out house for this old negro to live in and hires him out himself to do jobs of making plank and post and rail fence, and it is not his habit at all to suffer the negro to trade for himself, neither does he hire his time, — M^r Field so far from not violating the law in the particular refered to, is one of our most Exemplary, orderly and law abiding citizens, and in view of these facts and others which might be mentioned, We his neighbors and

friends have thought it proper to present this case to you, and respectfully ask you to remit that part of the fine which goes to the Commonwealth as an act of justice to M^r Field.

We would add further that we do this unsolicited by M^r Field and without his knowledge

Very Respectfully
Your obt Servts,
J M Shackelford
R. G. Benton
[Rothode] Stone
W^m M Irvine
S. K Turner
S. V. Rowland
W. S. Hains
S. P. Walters
David Irvine
W Holloway
J. W Caperton
Thomas F. Stone
John Miller
James Black
William Harris
Rich^d Russell

Madison Cir. Ct
$40. } allowing a slave to hire his own time
E H Field

Iss^dSept 17. 1861

Remitted
B. M