3 July 1832

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of J. John Harris McNeal for forgery]

Countersigned by Secretary of State Edward Livingston. McNeal had been sentenced to two years hard labor at a penitentiary. Pardoned on account of mental illness at the recommendation of the jury and the judge who tried the case.

GLC00115.02

February 27, 1910

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Typed letter signed

Title: to James A. Tawney

The letter discusses concerns about public estimates for a district jail and mentions previous letter received from Tawney who lodged a complaint. Writes "[w]e have no right to cut down our estimates and later increase them; and in so far as we have done this I would like to know, because I wish to make a public statement of it." Typed on White House stationery in blue ink with header The White House Washington. Stationery watermarked as Whiting's Woven Linen. One bust engraving of Taft included.

GLC00118.06

November 14, 1892

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to E.K. May

The letter discusses reform for hardened criminals. Hayes wants as much reform as possible, but those not able to reform should stay in prison indefinitely - "no cure no release."

GLC00118.01.01

1810-1953

Various

Header Record

Title: Collection of 12 documents relating to pardons (collection #6). See decimalized entries. [Decimalized .01-.12]

GLC00173

January 10,1810

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of John Bladen for assault and battery].

Cosigned by Robert Smith. Bladen was convicted of assault and battery. He was sentenced to 1 month imprisonment and to pay a $100 fine and court costs. Pardoned after serving out his prison sentence because he was unable to pay the resulting fine and the costs for prosecution.

GLC00173.01

22 May 1846

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretaty of State to affix the seal to the pardon of David Babe, alias William Brown].

Babe had been convicted of murder on the high seas in December 1843.

GLC00173.02

15 September 1849

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Document signed

Title: Pardon of William Childers, convicted of counterfeiting.

Convicted of passing counterfeit coin; sentenced to 2 years imprisonment. Pardoned for "...divers good and other sufficient reasons...". (c/s John M. Clayton)

GLC00173.03

09 November 1850

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of J.N.F. Fulirmann].

GLC00173.04

17 November 1854

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Lucy Wheeler, "a negress," convicted of two counts of aggravated assault.

Wheeler, convicted of two counts of aggravated assault: sentenced in one case to 1 year imprisonment, and to pay a $0.50 fine and court costs; sentenced in the other to 6 months imprisonment [to be served following the first term], and to pay another $0.50 fine and court costs. Pardoned after serving out her first prison term and paying $0.50 fine. (c/s William L. Marcy)

GLC00173.05

28 March 1859

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: Pardon of the Steamboat "Terror" for violations of steamboat inspection laws [fraud].

Convicted of being in violation of steamboat inspection laws [fraud]. Pardoned because the crime was unintentional. The steamboat had been rented only as accommodation to a charitable, religious society for a trip down the Penobscot River at no cost. (c/s Lewis Cass)

GLC00173.06

30 October 1868

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of James O'Neill].

GLC00173.07

02 May 1871

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: Pardon commuting death sentence of Charles Purdue, convicted of arson while at sea.

Convicted of arson on the high seas; sentenced to death by hanging. Pardoned by recommendation of the convicting jury and since it was the first such conviction to fall under the statute of 1790, imposing the death penalty for the said offense, and that Purdue could not have known the consequences of the crime. It was also stated that there had been no intention to destroy life and none were lost. Grant recommends "...his sentence be commuted to some long term of imprisonment at hard labor...". (c/s Hamilton Fish)

GLC00173.08

December 19, 1889

Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Frank Lucas, convicted of counterfeiting.

Convicted of passing counterfeit silver dollars; sentenced to four years hard labor, and to pay a $500 fine and court costs. Pardoned since his innocence had been corroborated by the U.S. Marshall, deputies, and clerk. (c/s James G. Blaine)

GLC00173.09

January 7, 1916

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation for Tonko L. Milic, convicted of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. on 25 March 1915 and sentenced to one year imprisonment]

Tonko L. Milic was sentenced to one year imprisonment in the state penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. Wilson commuted his sentence to expire immediately, no reason mentioned. Countersigned by Attorney General Thomas W. Gregory. Printed document with blanks filled in by hand.

GLC00173.10

February 4, 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Respite of execution for slaver Nathaniel Gordon]

Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward. Convicted of engaging in the slave trade, respite granted to allow Gordon to prepare for execution. He was the only slave trader in U.S. history to be executed for that crime and was executed on 21 February 1862 in New York. See story in Harpers Weekly, 8 March 1862, p.150 (ill. p.157).

GLC00182

1 May 1862

Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893

Broadside

Title: Proclamation

Institutes "the administration of Law Martial" in New Orleans, two days after it was surrendered to the Union. Terms include respect for the United States flag, punishment for aiding Confederates, harsh treatment for crimes against Federal, prohibition of public gatherings. "The armies of the United States came here not to destroy but to make good, to restore order out of chaos, and the government of laws in place of the passions of men." Same text as GLC04081.

GLC00171

17 July 1942

George VI, King of the United Kingdom, 1895-1952

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Harry James Gardiner

Printed document. Convicted of an offense against the National Service Act.

GLC00173.11

02 September 1953

Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, 1926-2022

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John Roland Holloway

Printed document with typed specifics

GLC00173.12

05 November 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Daniel Barry who, in the District of Columbia in March 1860, had been convicted of arson].

Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because he is an old soldier who has lost a leg in the service of the United States, because he was previously a law-abiding person, because he has served out most of his sentence, and because Judge James Dunlop, who presided at his trial, has recommeded him to Lincoln for his executive clemency. Countersigned by William H. Seward.

GLC00187

January 16, 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of James Keenan Jr. who in July 1859 in the District of Columbia had been convicted of arson]

Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln near the end of his sentence because he was young and inexperienced and the tool of older persons when he committed his crime, and because he had petitioned for it. Countesigned by William H. Seward.

GLC00205

01 October 1873

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the conditional pardon of Joseph Anthony and J.H. Drabing].

GLC00207

30 August 1877

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Header Record

Title: Authority to affix the seal to pardon of William and Elijah McWhorter. [Decimalized .01-.03]

Includes carte de visite and Signed pass to see counting of electoral college 2/10/1877.

GLC00212

09 May 1938

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Michele de Robertis (c/s Robert H. Jackson [acting AG])

Convicted of swearing a false affidavit. Reason for pardon not mentioned, but research indicates he received it for turning state's evidence against Al Capone.

GLC00217

1865 - 1927

Presidential Pardon Collection

Header Record

Title: Presidential pardon collection #7 [decimalized]

GLC00230

December 2, 1817

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Pamphlet

Title: Message from the President of the United States, to both houses of Congress, at the commencement of the first session of the fifteenth Congress.

Monroe reports that Amelia Island, near the Georgia boundary, had been seized and was "being made a channel for the illicit introduction of slaves from Africa into the United States, an asylum for fugitive slaves from the neighboring states, and a port of smuggling of every kind." He calls for its suppression. Printed by Edward De Krafft, Printer, Washington City.

GLC00267.030