Nov: 6^th 1862
Louisville
To His Excellency the Governor of Kentucky:

We ask to be excused from the violation of any rule, which you may have prescribed, in regard to the hearing of the petitions from the Citizens of Kentucky: The right of petition to our Ruler, has been and is held sacred by the people of this old Commonwealth no matter how rude its form may be;

Enclosed please find Three Affidavits of well Known Citizens, who declare that some preparation was made to take the Dying Declaration of Deiss: for the killing of

whom Tho^s Stevens was convicted at the last Term of the Jefferson Circuit Court: It was filed as evidence discovered since the trial; But they show that applying the strict rule in regard to Dying Declarations, they could not be received as evidence and was excluded by the Court:

We feel that ^as^ advocates for the accused we are Compelled to forward them to the Executive in sheer Justice to the State and the prisoner: you will see that said Affadavits are attested: and marked filed in the court: from which by law they were withdrawn

Respectfully
Craig & Elliott