To his Excellency Beriah M^cGoffin Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky — The undersigned citizens of Green County would respectfully state that on the evening of the 4^th of July 1857 one Robert Peace got into a difficulty with one Felix Beauchamp, in which said Beauchamp was unfortunately killed — that at the September Circuit Court for Green County following, an Indictment was found against said Peace for Murder — that the said Peace was unprepared for his trial at that term, and made sundry affidavits for a continuance, on account of the absence of several important witnesses, not to delay the case, but that justice might be done him — his motion was overruled and the said Peace unwillingly on his part, forced to trial at that term, when the transaction had been recent, and great excitement prevailed against him — and the consequence was that a verdict was rendered against him, not of Murder but of voluntary manslaughter, and the term of confinement in the Penetentiary of the state, fixed at nine years, in conformity with said verdict, the said Peace has been an inmate of the state prison for a period of near two years, and has demeaned himself as we believe faithfully during that period — The evidence in the cause accompanies this petition, which will show to your Excellency as we believe, that it was purely a case of self defense, and which would certainly have been more clearly established as such, had the defendant been able to procure on the trial several important witnesses who had failed to obey the summons of the court, one especially on account of sickness — Your petitioners would further state, that after the defendant had gone into the trial and considerable progress in the case his principal Attorney M^r. Aaron Harding, in whose ability and exertions

he placed more confidence, than all the assistance which he had beside, was suddenly called away by the extreme sickness of his wife, and the death of a child in consequence of which his valuable services were lost to him entirely — Your Excellency will see from the Evidence in the cause that when the defendant was contending with Bill Mat Skaggs, the deceased came upon him suddenly first seised him, then drew his pistol upon him, before he the defendant had made any advance whatever toward the deceased — that immediately after drawing the pistol he placed it behind his back — that the pistol was a re=volver ^self cocker^, that deceased shot at defendant first before he the said defendant attempted to shoot, and that the gun of defendant was not bearing on deceased, at the time the deceased shot at said defendant — Your Excellency will see further from the testimony, that at the commencement of the fracus defendant warned deceased not to draw a pistol on him — that deceased at that time threw his hand behind him with a pistol in it — that deceased was then within two or three feet of defendant, and at that distance fired at him immediately before defendant shot the deceased — as one of the witnesses states, the shots were in as quick succession as a double barreled shot gun, could have been fired — The evidence all shows that the parties were intimate and on terms of perfect friendship Your petitioners would farther state, that the law has been fully vindicated and justice satisfied in the punishment that the defendant has already suffered, and that his release at this time, would afford inexpressable solace to an aged Mother, afflicted wife, and helpless children — The premises considered, may it please your Excellency to grant our petition, and as in duty bound will ever pray