Houston_Letter_102_48830

Sparta Ten. 3^rd July 1828. Sam^l Houston Esq^r Governor &^c.

Sir

I understand that a petition has been laid before you accompanied by Seven or eight hundred signers, Citizens of this county, for the purpose of obtaining a pardon, or release of the imprisonment which George Broyles is sentenced by our circuit court, to suffer for staleing Matthew G Moore. I was one of M^r Broyles attorneys in that case and likewise in a suit which was prosecuted by Moore against Broyles for Damages in relation to the same transaction, consequently I was in a situation to hear every fact and circumstance connected with the transaction; and if a man situated as I was, should be allowed to express an opinion as to the propriety of granting a pardon, I should say to you with due deference, that this is a case where the prerogative vested in you, may with propriety be exercised. M^r Broyles is a young man who has heretofore maintained the character of a peaceable citizen. He is the son of a widow woman, and has the care of his mother and several sisters who are unmarried. The family is respectble, tho in moderate circumstances.

M^r Moore is not a man of Good character as I have understood. He is overbearing, and fond of quarrelsome in his disposition:- In the trial of this suit brought by Moore for the recovery of Damages, it was stated in substance by one of our witnesses for Moore, that after the staleing was over, Moore said he had his holt on Broyles, and could & would have killed him, had it not been for his knife. This evidence did not come out on the trial of the Indict= =ment.- I cannot say certainly, but I expect that the major= =ity of the people of this county are in favor of Broyles

obtaining a pardon, otherwise he shurely could not have procured the number of petitioners which he has. Moore was surrounded by his friends, who were large men. Broyles was alone with the exception of John Brown his brother-in-law, Who is a very small man. These lines are not addressed to you for the purpose of dictating to you, nor is it wished that they should have any influence upon your determination. If it is just that he should suffer, shurely it is also just that his punishment should not ext^end beyond what he merits. And our constitution has provided for a means by which the execution of the law in its rigor can be defeated when a proper case is presented to the executive of the state.-

I am sir your obedient servant A. B. Lane.-

A B Lane

Hon. Sam^l Houston Esq^r Governor &^c Nashville Tennessee