Petition of John McFarlane, with Jefferson’s Order, 13 September 1804
Petition of John McFarlane,
with Jefferson’s Order
To The President of the United States
The petition of John McFarlane of the County of Alexandria, Humbly Sheweth. That your petitioner was at the last court for this County, convicted on an Indictment preferred against him and others for a riot; & fined Ten dollars and the Costs of prosecution, the whole of which amounts to upwards of Sixty dollars.—and That your petitioner is and has been for some time since confined in the Jail of this County—whear he labours under a complicated disease, in addition to the Miseries incidental to his situation—without the possible means of releving him self, as he is intirely unable to pay the sum for which he is confined.—Under Those circumstances he alone relies on the Clemincy of The President for an elioration of his distressfull situation, confidently believing That it is only necesary to convince the President of the truth of this statement to obtain the remission of his fine and the restoration of his Liberty
John Mcfarling
At the request of the petitioner McFarlane I do hereby Certify I am well acquainted with him and am fully satisfied of his intire inability to pay the fine & Costs for which he is confined
Alexandria 15th Sept. 1804.
L Summers D Marshal
District of Columbia
September 17th 1804
We the Undersigned Judges of the Circuit Court of the district of Columbia, do, (on account of the inability of the Petitioner) respectfully recommend to the President of the United States to remit the fine as prayed
W. Kilty
W. Cranch.
N; Fitzhugh
Th: Jefferson
The President is respectfully refered to the record sent up with the applycation of Geo. McFarland
J. M.
RC (DNA: RG 59, GPR); petition, certification, and postscript in Lewis Summers’s hand; petition signed by McFarlane; recommendation in William Kilty’s hand, signed by him, William Cranch, and Nicholas Fitzhugh; endorsed by TJ as received 20 Sep. and so recorded in SJL.
The trial record identified John McFarlane as a laborer (Tr in same; see also petitions of George McFarlane, John Higdon, and John Orpwood at 15 Aug., 24 Nov., and 19 Dec., respectively). Although the signature on a second petition (see 10 Dec. below) is “Jno. McFarlane” rather than “John Mcfarling” and the handwriting of the signatures appears to differ, only one person of the name was among those tried in the case.
Let a pardon issue: TJ probably wrote this order here by mistake, intending it to refer to George McFarlane (see Petition of George McFarlane, 15 Aug., and TJ to the State Department, 4 Oct.). He did not issue a pardon for John McFarlane until December (see Petition of John McFarlane, 10 Dec.).
applycation of Geo. McFarland: Petition of George McFarlane, 15 Aug.