Early Governors' Papers

To his Excellency Joseph M^cMinn Governor of the State of TennesseeWe the undersigned, Citizens of the County of Roane represent to your Excellency that at the September term 1820 of the Circuit Court of said County a certain John Brummet was indicted of a fraud in passing certain counterfeited Bank - bills, found guilty by a Jury, and sentenced by the Court to one year's imprisonment in the Jail of said CountyWe state to your excellency that it is our opinion that from a breast complaint to which said Brummet appears to be subjected if he be continued in Confinement in a cold damp prison his life will be greatly endanger -ered. We further assure your Excellency that said Brummet appears to be quite illiterate and ignorant; that he is as we believe destitute of property; and should he be [constrained?] in Jail until the end of one year he will then be compelled to reamin there on account of the costs until the county of Roane shall pay the same - which said county will have ultimately to do - and that therefore we consider that no good will result to the community from his confine -ment, but on the contrary a considerable injury will be thereby done to the county of Roane by increasing the charges of his detention. Wherefore we pray your Excellency to release said Brummet from so much of the Judgement against him as requires his imprisonment for 12 calender [sic] months, that is so much of said period as has not yet expired - Kingston October 30 1820 -

Anderson Hutcherson Rufus F. King [W.C.M. Harry?] - W^m B. Clark James M^c Campbell P. Richards Addison Carrick B. Harrison [? Purris] [D? Watt?] Robert S. Gilliland E.H. Smith A.O. Ayer