<title type="main">John P. Harrison 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)

This image and transcription is publicly accessible. The image appears courtesy of the repository named in the Source Description. The transcription and annotation were undertaken by Kentucky Historical Society staff, volunteers, and interns. If referencing this document title, accession number, and permanent URL.

 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-0001-020-0764 MG19-190 to MG19-191

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky 1861-03-14 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. 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.
1

Covington, Ky. March 14. 1861 The Honorable B Magoffin Governor of Kentucky: Dear Sir:

I was a Commonwealth's Witness in the Prosecution of Joseph Temple for False Swearing and am cognizant of all the facts that led to the indictment. The false swearing set forth in the Indictment took place in the Kenton Quarterly Court in a suit of MacGregor vs Temple in which I was Attorney for the Plaintiff.

I have no particular acquaintance with Temple outside of the Prosecution above attended to, but am led to believe by personal

2

enquiry and from the testimony during the Prosecution that he has long stood high in the estimation of his friends who are quite numerous. He is an old man, of Very respectable family, and is now in infirm health. He went into his trial under disadvantages, two of the attorneys whom he had employed being sick and absent at the time. -- Colonel Fisk defended him in connection with Mr Summerwell upon very short notice.

I am led to believe -- it is my honest conviction. that confinement in the Penitentiary would be an exceedingly severe punishment in this case, and

3

I do not think it can be enforced with safety to the life of the prisoner. Mr Temple has already suffered greatly.

Executive clemency should be cautiously used, and always with an eye to the public wellfare. I allude to this to show that I do not address this letter out of idle sympathy, but after due reflection. I am satisfied that a pardon for Mr Temple would meet with universal approval and would have no ill effect in the City of Covington or in this County.

I have no interest in this matter except that of one citizen in another cit-

4

-izen's behalf: in fact as Attorney for McGregor, my leaning in ordinary cases would be the other way, as it would be in this case, were it not outweighted by better & higher considerations.

I hearily Join in any Petition for his pardon, and conclude with the expression of an earnest desire that it may be granted. With Great Respect. Yours Truly

John. P. Harrison