<title type="main">John M. Casey to Beriah Magoffin Edition created from new transcripts of this manuscript. Initial upload of this work's facsimile images and metadata to FromThePage for editing Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Administrator of the CWGK Migration transcription project on FromThePage Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections made 4 edits between June 22, 2025 and June 22, 2025. Dynamic TEI export from FromThePage (version 22.10)

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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862 KYR-0001-020-0408 MG18-134 to MG18-135

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky 1861-07-28 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "2": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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Covington Ky July 28th 1861 To His Excellency Beriah Magoffin Governor of Ky,

Dear Sir: at the request of Mrs Clarke (mother of D. W. Clarke now confined in the penitentiary under sendence from the Kenton Circuit Court at this place) I am induced to write you a few lines in favor of the prayer of petitioners in this behalf.

Without making any statement of the facts the complete record accompanies the petition.

In only one of the cases is there a bill of evidence and in that case I never thought that there was sufficient proof to warrant his conviction but the jury thought differently and I respectfully defer to their decision as I always

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think that every good citizen should pay reverence to the Courts and their officers,

Granting then the guilt of the young man I am very willing under all circumstances to unite my voice with petitioners in praying for his release.

I think it will result in good. I learn from one of his former employers that he was while im employed ^some time in his service^ honest and industrious. My opinion is that he is not hardened in crime and that his length of confinement has been sufficient to reform one of his years. There are many who know him and his history citizens ^of this place^ of respectability and veracity who assure me that if he is released he will never fall into such errors again. Such representations together with compassion

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for his poor widowed mother who in her present failing health needs his assistance and presence have induced the writing of these lines. I am exceedingly reluctant to petition Executive Clemency and I feel the delicacy of such a position the more in this case as I was counsel for the boy; but his youth, and the well grounded hope I indulge that he is completely reformed overcome my scruples. And through his late sufferings, ^and^ his mother's influence (who is a sincerely pious woman) I am convinced that he will act in the future to justify the hopes indulged in his reformation.

I will add that in both cases the owners recovered their property. His mother will if able go to Frankfort in person, but from her present state of health

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she is doubtful whether she can go. And asking in behalf of her prayer your Excellency's indulgent and merciful consideration whether she appears before you or has to send her appeal by mail -- I have the honor to subscribe myself with sentiments of esteem

Yours Respectfully John M. Casey