Petition of George McFarlane, 15 August 1804
Petition of George McFarlane
To the President of the United States of America—
The Petition of George Mc.Farlane of the County of Alexandria in the District of Columbia hereby Sheweth,
That your Petitioner was at the last Court for the County of Alexandria convicted of a riot, in consequence of being in company with other persons against whom that offence was established—The Ignorance of your Petitioner as to the laws he is informed is no excuse, But he confidently hopes clemency will be extended to a man whose only crime was that Ignorance and remaining present while the said riotous conduct was practised by others.
Your Petitioner begs leave further to state that he has a Wife and Children whose only means of sustenance is derived from his labour; and that as he is utterly unable to pay the fine and Costs assessed against him (Amounting in the whole to sixty two Dollars eighty Cents) his only hopes of relief from the Gloomy horrors of a Jail rest on the clemency of the President who alone can avert the cruel hand of want and misery from his helpless family.
George Mc.Farlane
Alexandria County St.
George Mc.Farlane came before me the subscriber one of the United States Justices for the County aforesaid, and made oath that the facts stated in the foregoing Petition are true and correct.—
Given under my hand this. 17th. day of August 1804
A Faw
We the Subscribers, Justices of Peace for said County, being satisfied of the truth of the within Statement, Do recommend the Petitioner to the Clemency of the President
A Faw
John Dundas
Alexr Smith
We have no Knowledge of several of the facts stated in this within petition but are induced to join in the recommendation out of compassion to his Wife & Children Who we believe would be greatly distress’d if McFarling was Sent to jail—
George Gilpin
George Slacum
Peter Wise Jr
MS (DNA: RG 59, GPR); petition and Abraham Faw’s attestation in Faw’s hand; justices’ recommendation in Faw’s hand, signed by Faw, Dundas, and Smith; additional statement in Gilpin’s hand, signed by Gilpin, Slacum, and Wise.
At its June 1804 term at Alexandria, the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia upheld a guilty verdict against George McFarlane (McFarlin), a bricklayer; John McFarlane (McFarlin), a laborer; John Higdon, a bricklayer; and John Orpwood (Hopwood), a plasterer, for riot and assault against the persons and property of Frederick and Mary Churchman in October 1802. The court fined each defendant $10 and costs (Tr of trial in same). TJ issued a pardon for George McFarlane on 8 Oct. (FC in Lb in same; see also Petition of John McFarlane, 13 Sep., and TJ to the State Department, 4 Oct.).