To his Excellency the Govenor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky - the undersigned petitioners Citizens of Union County will beg leave to respectfully represent that Leonard Clements Stands indicted in the Union Circuit Court Charged with killing a negro. and is in Consequence thereof a non resident of this Commonwealth; his relatives & friends wishes his return to this Country; but at the same time they wish that he may return without dread of his being punished ignominously for said alledged offence

They will State that they verily believe that the death of Said Slave was owing to accident & a want of desertion of said Leonard, and free from any design on his part to take life — That said negro was notoriously vicious headstrong and ungovernable — had been hired out year after year, and was all ways returned to the owner, as soon as his character was ascertained - that Clements had hired him; and he chastised him with the sole view of making him perform his duty; & not to take life but, said negro afterwards died either from the correction, or from some disease in his system that was superinduced by said Correction to produce death

Clements has paid the owner of said negro $1600 for said negro — that he is a young man of fine family, Steady habits & moral character, we therefore pray for your Excellency to grant him a pardon & restore him to [...] the bosom of his family & country & in duty bound they will ever pray &^c