1

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