To Thomas Jefferson from William Cranch, 26 January 1807

Jany. 26th. 1806. [i.e. 1807]

The undersigned Judges of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia respectfully represent that Scipio Brown, a negro man, was at December term 1804 convicted of stealing a pair of Boots the property of Benjamin Burch, on the very night on which he was discharged upon a pardon granted by the President of the United States for a former offence—

The sentence of the Court was that he should be whipped with twenty Stripes and pay a fine of one Dollar and stand committed until fine and fees are paid

That the corporal punishment has been inflicted, and he has been detained in prison ever since the 30th. of June 1804 on account of his inability to pay his fine and costs.

The Undersigned respectfully suggest the question whether it be for the Interest of the United States to detain him longer in prison, and whether his long imprisonment may not be deem’d a punishment equivalent to the payment of his fine and costs

W. Cranch.

N Fitzhugh

[Order in TJ’s hand]:

Let a pardon issue

Th: Jefferson

Jan. 28. 07.

DNA: RG 59—GPR—General Pardon Records.

This early access document derives from raw transcriptions, prior to editing and publication in Rotunda's American History Collection. If this document is cited in formal research, it should be noted that it is not a final version, and that the URL you used to access it is not permanent.
Please report any errors or problems you notice in documents.