Early Governors' Papers

To the honourable Sam Houston Govwernor of the State of Tennessee.

We the undersigned Petitioners would represent that at the last session of the Circuit Court for Wilson , that James Villums a citizen thereof was indicted and convicted for stealing and carrying some or three negroes of Thomas P. Holeman, and adjudged to die therefor. Now in consideration of the severe and rigorous punishment annexed to the offense the compassion of your Petitioners is aroused, but being well aware that this would be but afford but a feeble ground to call upon you for your interposition, your Petitioners would show that there is good reason to believe, and your Petitioners do sincerely believe, that it was with the connivance and through the instrumentality of one Noah Walker who had a good colour of title to the said negroes that said Villums took and carried them away. This then was circumstantial evidence intraduced to prove upon the trial, but it being clearly proven and indeed confessed that he did sell the negroes, and ^not being as clearly proven that it was through the instrumen =tality of Walker that they were taken, the jury contrary to their better feeings conceived themselves compelld to convict.

To The Hon^l Samuel Houston governor of the State of Tennessee

We the undersigned petitioners would represent that at the last session of the Circuit Court for Wilson County James Aclins a Citizen of the County aforsaid Was indicted and convicted for Negro Stealing Under the act of assembly of 1779 [ch?] and carrying away other Negroes the property of Thomas P Holman to the County of Wilson Williamson & State of Tennessee aforsaid and for the [crowd?] aforsa^id it was adjudged & decreed that the said Ja^s Aclins be hanged the first Saturday after the fourth Monday in June next between the hours of 1 & 3 Oclock The Punishment annexed to the offence by the act aforsad The humanity & compassion of your petitioners arroused in the behalf of the sd Aclins but being aware that this woud afford but a feeble Ground to call upon your excellency for your humaneity interposition Your Petitioners would show that there is a good reason to believe from the proof deposed before the Court & Jury at the trial to raise the belief that one Noah Walker a man of bad moral character, Who had a good colour of title took sd Negroes did first deliver the said negroes to the sd Nelms to carry off and sell, To this point there was strong circumstantial evidence, to raise a belief of that fact, but it was Conclusively proven and in fact confessed by the said Aclins that he did sell the said negroes to one John Becks in the County aforsaid & made a Bill of sale in the name of the said Noah Walker and the defendant was unable to prove the agency of the said Walker in delivering the said negroes to the said Aclins Your petitioners will Conclude

To his Excellency Samuel Houston; Governor in and over the State of Tennessee.

We your petitioners, citizens of Sumner County, fee^ling deep solicitude for the reserve of a fellow being; and not feeling it only, from that principle of our common nature; which is ever prompt & ready, to save the sinking, but from a thorough conviction that the punishment in reserve is widely disproportioned to the offence. And this we assert; not that we would wish your Excellency to depart from the line of duty, the shortest distance; to gratify our excited benevolence; but ^we assert it in the face of his condemnation; verily believing that there is a disproportion between the impending punishment and the alligated crime- in confirmation of facts, let circumstan=ces be submitted to your candid mind.

James Nellums; the object of our anxiety, & we hope of your Excellency's clemency, is convicted for the abduction of three negroes, the property of Thomas P. Holeman of Wilson county; for which offence; the 1^st Saturday after the 4^th Monday in June is set apart for his Execution

To his Excellency Samuel Houston Esqr Gov &c &c

Your petitioners respresent to Your Excellency that a certain James Nelms, lately been convicted in the Wilson Circuit Court for the crime of feloniously seducing away the Slaves of a M^r Holman with an intention as is Charged of appropiating them to his own use said Nelms was sentanced by said court to be hung from which Judgment he appealed to the Supreme Court which Court after the case upon advisement for three months were reluctantly compelled to Affirm the judgment but such were circum stances in mitigation appearing upon the face of the record (imperfect as it was) that said court in delivering their opinion as your petitioners are informed recommended an Application to your Excellency for a pardon believing it a case well warranting the interferance of Executive Clemency your petitioners (or a number of them) are informed that that said Nelms in the transaction for which he has been condemned was made the dupe of a disiving & bad man, by the name of Walker, the negroes charged to have been stolen by said Nelms were once the property of Walker but were sold upon attachment against himhe alledged the attachment were illegally [?] against him- He alledged the [aut?] and still claimed the property- and no doubt was entitled by the court from affidavits appearing upon the recordthat said Walker by representing to Nelms that the property was his, induced Nelms to carry them off - probably under a promise to divide their value, or some