Letter from Mary Garrett to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; October 18, 1860

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Letter from Mary Garrett to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; October 18, 1860

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People

Cothern, William Garrett, Mary Garrett, Thomas Harden, Alfred Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Events

Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Clemency Criminal Procedure--Pardon

Organizations

Mississippi--State Penitentiary (Jackson)

Occupations

Judges

Social Identifiers

African Americans

Vital Statistics

Death

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October 18, 1860

To His Excellency J. J. Pettus

Dear Sir the subject of these few lines will informe you that I am the unfortunate mother of one of your subjects in the state prison by the name of Thomas Garrett, and I am the woman who came before you—in February last, with a petion and you told me you would file it a way for a more convenit consultation with Judge Cothern, and that you would would write to the Judge yourself but being thronged or some other cause I suppose you forgot me, as the Judge states he—never got your letter he also states he was with you last July and not knowing you had a petition never hearing of your receiving any information relative to the case and having found out that Thomas ought never to have went through such a time of suffering altho, he Thomas, had acted Impudently but not for Sucre of gain or theft but unthought=idly more from sympathy = never claimed nor—possed the charged negro & Judge Cothern says if he had known you had, a pittion he would had liked to have seen it but he says he thinks you will recollect his being with you and as—an opportunity offered ~~the~~ he made mention =

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= of the case of Thomas Garrett being one that required clemancy and he says you will recollect that he Emphaticly stated that the evidence of the case showed to that amount and rather thought you would pardon his case and if he had known you had bin apprized by ~~he would~~ a pittion he would have said more on subject but as he conclud he was volunteering he had said plenty,

My Dear friend I hope you will view the subject feelingly & recollect when young are only 17 or 18 years old they are not what they are at 25 or 30—your are aware of this—and I hope you will look back to where we all and you yourself have had an affiction=ate Mother, to weep over Our calamitys= and if you should view Thomas Garretts in its worst form if he erred but repents determined to do for the future the best he can = the worse the act the greater the Reward for the Pardon granted; = both here and hereafter and if you will pardon him I do hope it may here after prove a blessing to the public good—for his conduct thare I refer you to Major Harden and his managers—Dear Sir I am your friend until death—Mary Garrett