Petition of John Orpwood, with Jefferson’s Order, 19 December 1804
Petition of John Orpwood,
with Jefferson’s Order
To His Excellency Thomas Jefferson
President of the United States
Your petitioner John Orpwood of the County of Alexandria in the District of Columbia most respectfully begs leave to represent to your Excellency: That at the last Court for the said County of Alexandria a judgment was rendered against your petitioner on a verdict found against him for a riot; The amount of which with Costs your petitioner is informed will be Sixty two dollars Eighty one Cents—Your petitioner begs leave further to state, that his extreeme poverty, renders it impossible for him to Discharge the said amount or any part of it—and that unless your Excellency extend the benefit of a pardon to your petitioner, The Gloomy horrors of confinement will be his unavoidable fate—And Therefore your petitioner prays that his fine and the costs attending the prosecution may be remitted, And as in Duty bound will ever pray &C—
Jno. Orpwood
Alexandria County Sct
The petitioner John Orpwood 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
Given under my hand this 19th day of December 1804—
Alexr Smith
We the subscribers Justices of the peace for the County of Alexandria, being satisfied of the petitioners poverty, do respectfully recommend to the President a remission of his fine—
George Taylor
A Faw
Peter Wise Jr
George Gilpin
Jacob Hoffman
Elisha C. Dick
Cuthbert Powell
Alexr. Smith
We the undersigned Judges beg leave respectfully to recommend to the president of the United States to remit the Petitioners Fine & Fees & also to discharge him from further Imprisonment.
W Kilty
W. Cranch.
N Fitzhugh
[Order by TJ:]
Let a pardon issue
Th: Jefferson
Dec. 27. 04.
RC (DNA: RG 59, GPR); petition in a clerk’s hand, signed by Orpwood; attestation in a clerk’s hand, signed by Smith; recommendation of justices in a clerk’s hand, signed by all; recommendation of judges in Fitzhugh’s hand, signed by all.
Plasterer John Orpwood, along with George McFarland and others, had been convicted of riot and assault by the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia in June 1804 and fined $10 each plus costs (Petition of George McFarland, 15 Aug.). TJ issued a pardon and remission of Orpwood’s fine and costs on 29 Dec. (FC in Lb in DNA: RG 59, GPR).