Early Governors' Papers

Jackson Dec^r 23^rd 1828-

Dear Sir -

I herewith enclose you the memorial of sundry citizens of the county of Henderson together with the certificate of His Honour J. C. Hamilton praying for the pardon of Wiliam Walden Sn^r for the supposed murder of William B. Smith deceased - Walden is an old revolutionary soldier now about 75 or 80 years of age, bent almost double, and withall a maniac - He was unble to employ counsel, and I was assigned by the court - He is no doubt deranged and very likely was so when he killed William B. Smith if he did so at all - there was no evidence except of a circumstantial nature, and weak at that, still ^he was able to prove a first rate character for the last 20 years by Adam Huntsman James Chissum and John B. Cross as respectable men as we have in this country I felt very confident he would be acquitted if he could be tried - But the Judge refused to try any man who from derangment of