Hon. Beriah Magoffin
Gov^r. of Kentucky,

Your Petitioner, A. P. Gorsuch, would respectully petition that during the summer of 1861, his son James G. Gorsuch being a captain of a company of the Kentucky ^State^ Guard, was invited by several of his friends to bring his company out in the neighborhood of Elizabethtown to drill in camp for instruction. He returned to the City, leaving his company with their arms there, when he was arrested for misapproing state arms there, and I was called upon to go, with several others, legal gentlemen, on his recognisance, to appear at the next term of the Jefferson Circuit Court. I was informed by some of the attorneys that he had the right to hold Camp for instruction in the neighborhood, and that he violated no law by so doing. I am satisfied he had not violated ^any law^ in so doing. I knew others as well as himself had done the same thing in this neighborhood before.

Upon the time of the holding the Oct. term 1861, of the said Court, the war was rageing to such an extent here, the Federal Government recruiting with great vigor in this City, that it became very unsafe for anyone who did not endorse the acts of the Administration to

remain. Some had been arrested without any cause known to them; and the said Gorsuch became frightened and did not appear, and the recognisance was forfeited. One other ^party^ besides myself was summoned upon the forfeiture and you have remitted same; the others and more responsible parties have gone away, leaving me as the only remaining one to pay the whole claim of Eight Hundred Dollars, the amount of the forfeiture taken 24th Oct^r. 1861. Petitioner understands that said J. G. Gorsuch has never taken up arms against the Government, and what has become of the arms he is not informed. They may have been restored to the County Court, as to this he does not know however. Your petitioner would state that he is an old and feeble man of 69 years, with a helpless family to support, and that he is verry poor, and totally unable under the pressure of the times to pay this debt if judgement be rendered against him. Indeed if he be compelled to pay it, his family and himself will be left entirely destitute of everything.

He prays that you may take the previous into consideration and grant him a remission of said forfeiture before judgement is taken, and he will ever pray. A P Gorsuch

A. P. Gorsuch says he believes the statments

contained in the foregoing petition are true.

A P Gorsuch

Sworn to before me the 26^th day of Ap^r. 1862
Jeff Brown Notary
Public Jefferson County

We the undersigned petitioners join in the prayer of A. P. Gorsuch for Executive Clemency

Geo. W. Johnston
C. C. Spencer
Henry Wolford
Jas P Chambers
William Cromey

I know Mr Gorsuch well for many years he is poor but industrious & I would be glad to see him released of the Bond as it will take all he has to pay the Bond & has a Family

Z, M, Sherley

P. B. Muir

I know nothing of this case; but I have known Mr. Gorsuch, the petitioner for several years, and I think him a clever man, and would be pleased to see him released from this penalty.

Henry Pirtle
Isaac Caldwell
Geo A Caldwell
Bidermann duPont

Jefferson Cir Ct
$800. } Forfeiture
A. P. Gorsuch
Remission Iss^d
May. 1. 1862