McMinn_Letter_191_48885

His Excellency Joseph M.Minn Governor. of the State of Tennessee

This Petition of the undersigned humbly represent to your Excellency that at the Circuit Court of Overton county held on the second monday of this Instant a certain James Brock late of this county of Knox was convicted of Horse stealing - And your petitioners state to your Excellency that the Evidence on the part of the prosecution, with regard to the felonious intention of the said James Brock, was not very satisfactory and conclusive - It was also in proof on the part of the Defindant that for some considerable time prior to the commission of the act with which he was charged; that the said James Brock had been the subject of a degree of mental derangement or insanity - And respectable witnesses were introduced (some of whom had known the said James Brock from infancy) who all testified that he was a young man of excellent moral character previous to this Transaction - That his Relations were all persons of unblemished reputation, free from any imputation of dishonesty - Viewing all the circum stances that transpired respecting his accusation and conviction aforesaid, and impressed with a belief that all punishment has for its object the reformation of the Individual we are inclined to think that can be attained more completely by pardoning than by punishing and infamizing the said James Brock We therefore beg leave to repre - sent the said James Brock to your Excellency as a proper subject for Executive clemency and entreat yoour Execellency that the said James Brock on account of the dubious nature of the proof against him, the fairness

of his former moral character, the prospects of his future reformation, and respectability of all his Relations, may receive a pardon and be exempted from the infamous punishment the law inflects on the perpetrators of the offence whereof he has been convicted - March 12th 1817 Wm. [Matlock?] Adam Huntsman B. Parrott Gardiner John [W. Killebrew?] Henry H. Atkinson Wm Chilton Jos. H. Windle Georg Wallis M. [Gevin?] Jabe Carlock I B Cross Benj. W. Smith Jas Rodgers Hervel Hern Charles [Sevier?] John Hill Christopher Hoffman Thomas Arnette L.D. Rowan John Arnett Will Armstrong Washington [Lanier?] Jo. Harris Joshua Carland Johathon Whiteside James Harrison V. Mattock N. [illegible] H. Reagan Wm Overstreet J.C.N Robertson Greanwood Harison J.E. [Totten?] Hugh Armstrong John McDonnold Stephen [Hicks?] Robert Sevier Eli Burdin John Reagan

Richd. Brown Landon Armstrong Jacob Yoackam Stephen Mayfield John Nelson [W?] C. Armstrong Geo. Christian [Strather?] Frogg Arthur Frogg Hugh A Blevins James Armstrong Isaac [Gore?] A Rhea Thomas Simpson L. Key James Whiteside William Atkinson Michael [Rupe/Russe?] John Lee Jesse Carpenter John Chiles Michael Hickey, a Juror Robert G Simonton

[Column 2] Joseph Minor James Simonton [?] Thompson John C. Ray Tobias Murdock James Fancher William C[oeiary?] W.H. Hughlett Stephen Senter Davis Collier George Matlock Joseph Crownover D C Matlock Saml. Sevier Joseph Love Excepting that part on Trial as it is unknown to me James White

Petition of James Brock