October 30, 1835

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Joseph Richmond for embezzlement]

Countersigned by Secretary of State John Forsyth. Deputy postmaster of Middletown, Maryland, Richmond was convicted of embezzling the U.S. Mail in November 1834 and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Richmond, young and of previous good character, was pardoned after recommendation by one of the judges at his trial, Elias Glenn, and Baltimore prison warden, Joseph Owens.

GLC00043.10

March 30,1846

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

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Robert Baker for engaging in the slave trade].

Countersigned by James Buchanan. Baker, 1st mate on the Brig "Montivedio", was convicted of engaging in the slave trade between Africa and Brazil and sentenced to serve 6 months in prison and pay a $500 fine and court costs. Pardoned after serving twelve months in prison because of his poverty (inability to pay the fine) and excellent conduct.

GLC00043.11

July 13, 1847

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

Document signed

Title: Pardon of George Miles, convicted of mutiny aboard the Barque "Agnes." Also, includes petitions and receipts.

Miles, "...convicted of a revolt on board of the barque 'Agnes'..."; sentenced to pay a $1 fine and courts costs [$25], and be imprisoned for ten days. Pardoned after serving his prison sentence since he was too poor to pay his fine. (c/s James Buchanan)

GLC00043.12

July 13, 1847

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

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Lewis Huskey alias Edward Cairns, convicted of mutiny aboard the Barque "Agnes." Also, includes petitions and receipts.

Huskey [a.k.a. Cairns], "...convicted of a revolt on board of the barque 'Agnes'..."; sentenced to pay a $1 fine and courts costs [$25], and be imprisoned for ten days. Pardoned after serving his prison sentence since he was too poor to pay his fine. (c/s James Buchanan)

GLC00043.13

September 24, 1850

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Document signed

Title: Pardon of William Jenkins alias William Ryall, convicted of counterfeiting. Includes petitions and transmission letters.

Convicted of passing counterfeit coin; sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Pardoned for "...divers good and other sufficient reasons...". (c/s Daniel Webster)

GLC00043.14

April 5, 1851

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Daniel Brown, convicted of counterfeiting.

Convicted of passing counterfeit coin; sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Pardoned for "...divers other good and suffiecient reasons...". (c/s W.S. Derrick)

GLC00043.15

November 17, 1851

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John Alguner, convicted of counterfeiting.

John Alguner convicted of passing counterfeit coin. Executive clemency granted by Millard Fillmore, pardoned for "...divers other good and sufficient reasons...". Countersigned by Daniel Webster, Acting Secretary of State. Accompanied by a paper seal.

GLC00043.16

July 28, 1854

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: Pardon of August Kesling, alias August Kesting/Kestenger, convicted of transmitting forged federal documents.

Convicted of transmitting forged federal documents; sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Pardoned for "...divers other good and sufficient reasons..." (c/s William L. Marcy)

GLC00043.17

July 12, 1855

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: Pardon of the owners of the Steamer "Osiris," convicted of endangering lives of passengers by not having sufficient amount of life preservers.

Convicted of endangering lives of passengers by not having sufficient amount of life preservers; sentenced to pay $500 fine and additional $71.30 for violation of U.S. transportation safety law of 30 August 1852 [5th Section]. Conditionally pardoned, in that the $500 fine be remitted while the law violation penalty [$71.30] and other court costs be paid. (c/s W.L. Marcy)

GLC00043.18

May 3, 1858

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: Pardon of George Kirk, Edward Burr, & George Carroll, convicted of defrauding the revenue.

Convicted of defrauding the revenue; each sentenced to pay a $400 fine and court costs and to be confined until paid. All pardoned due to their inability to pay fine. Signed by James Buchanan. Countersigned by Lewis Cass. Accompanied by a paper seal.

GLC00043.19

December 30, 1859

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Thomas Wilson, convicted of 2 counts of assault weapon against crewmen on the Schooner "Exchange."

Convicted of 2 counts of assault [one with a dangerous weapon] aboard the Schooner "Exchange" while at sea; in one case, sentenced to 1 year and 3 months imprisonment and in the case involving weapon, sentenced to 2 years hard labor and to pay $1 fine and court costs. Pardoned due to insanity. (c/s Lewis Cass)

GLC00043.20

December 16, 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Rasmus Benson who in Maryland in September 1862 was convicted of inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on a seaman].

Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because Benson had been imprisoned for failure to pay the fine, because Benson's offense against the Criminalizing Mutiny on the High Seas Act (March 3, 1835, c. 40, sec. 1 and 2) was of a technical nature, and because the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case had petitioned on his behalf. Countersigned by William H. Seward.

GLC00043.21

October 19, 1870

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

Document signed

Title: Pardon of William B. Philips, convicted of embezzling money from the post office.

Convicted of embezzling money from the post office; sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and to pay a $3454.78 fine. Pardoned for his "...good character, pliable nature, poverty, the punishment already suffered, and the fact that his bondsmen have paid in a large portion of the money taken...". (c/s Hamilton Fish) One bust engraving of Grant included.

GLC00043.22

June 30, 1879

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Justus J. Gude, convicted of stuffing the ballot box.

Convicted of putting tickets in ballot box (stuffing it), while serving as an election judge in a Baltimore congressional election; sentenced to 1 year imprisonment and a $5 fine. Pardoned since further imprisonment would endanger his life. (c/s William M. Evarts)

GLC00043.24

1862-1865

Various

Header Record

Title: Presidential Pardon collection no. 2. [Decimalized .01-.07]

[Lincoln and Johnson] [decimalized 00044.01-00044.07]

GLC00044

July 24, 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Felix Mullen, who had been convicted in February 1862 in the District of Columbia of burglary].

Felix Mullen was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because Lincoln had been petitioned by the jury who had tried the case, who told him that they rendered their verdict upon a misconception of the law. Also his conduct while incarcerated had been good. In his petition, Mullen had asked to be pardoned so that he could return to the 10th New Jersey Volunteers. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00044.01

January 4, 1776

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Jay

Hamilton writes that he meant to send this letter by the last post but missed it. Informs that a proclamation has been issued to dissolve the old assembly to elect a new one. Reports that the Tories are saying they will dominate the election but he believes the Whigs will prevail. Indicates that he would like Jay to come but that his presence is not absolutely necessary. Addressed to Jay in Philadelphia, free franked in New York.

GLC00007

January 26, 1856

Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander Sankey Latty

Chase writes to "Latty" concerning republican politics and elections, the Know-Nothings, and immigration.

GLC00011

October 12, 1780

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francois Marquis de Barbe-Marbois

To Marbois, the secretary of the French Ambassador, who later served as Intendent of Santo Domingo and minister of finance under Napoleon, under whom he sold Louisiana to the U.S. Hamilton concludes his letter by agreeing with Marbois about America's "feebleness and temporary expedients" in military affairs; and notes that he views "our affairs in a gloomy light." Hamilton ends by mentioning rumors of a peace congress by the neutral powers at the Hague. (This may refer to the attempt by Catherine of Russia to mediate the dispute.) Place of writing supplied from Hamilton Papers.

GLC00012

August 24, 1785

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Price

Written by Jay as Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Confederation government to Price, a dissenting minister and moralistic pamphleteer in Britain who supported American independence. Apologizes to Price for being tardy in responding and thanks him for sending pamphlets (Price wrote several pro-American pamphlets in Britain, the most famous of which was "Observations on Civil Liberty and the Justice and Policy of the War with America," which was published in 1776). Echoing the weaknesses of the Confederation and foreshadowing the creation of the Constitution in 1787, Jay says "I am not…

GLC00013

June 28, 1875

Bryant, William Cullen, 1794-1878

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: The death of Lincoln

The poem is copied and signed by William C. Bryant.

GLC00014

January 1907

Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Battle Hymn of the Republic]

The first and fourth verses.

GLC00017

September 22, 1819

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nathaniel F. Moore.

Jefferson responds to Moore's pamphlet on ascertaining the pronunciation of ancient Greek and describes his own efforts in trying to answer the same question. He describes his efforts while in Paris, and even earlier, to find the most accurate pronunciation from modern Greek, but decided to follow the system of the early humanist Erasmus. Jefferson concludes "I am glad... to see the question stirred here; because it may excite among our young countrymen a spirit of enquiry and criticism, and lead them to more attention to this most beautiful of all languages." Moore taught classical languages…

GLC00020

February 12, 1811

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Autograph letter

Title: to Timothy Pickering

Responds to former Senator Pickering's request for information regarding monetary aid the United States received from Spain in 1780. Mentions a letter he received from Spain's minister of state in 1780, Count Floridablanca, confirming Spain's good intentions toward the United States. Refers to a discussion of aid received by the United States from Spain in a 1780 conference with the Spanish official Don Diego de Gardoqui.

GLC00023

April 28,1785

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elbridge Gerry

Writes that although he lacks any sympathy for the "philanthropy" of slavery, he will not violate the treaty requiring the enslaved people who sought freedom to be returned to enslavers. One black and white bust engraving of John Adams included.

GLC00024