To Edward Bates1Jump to section
Will the Attorney General please have a report made on this case.
Oct. 29. 1864 A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] AES, DLC-RTL. Lincoln's endorsement is written on a copy of the court record in the case of the U.S. vs. Charles Randall and Edward Scott, on trial for counterfeiting Treasury notes. On November 21, 1864, Bates wrote Lincoln:
``I have considered the Petition, herewith returned, addressed to you by H[ugh]. B. McCracken of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.
``It appears that Mr. McCracken became surety for the appearance at the May Sessions, 1864, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania of one Charles Randall, indicted in that Court for the offence of passing an altered United States Treasury Note; that the said defendant, Randall, having failed to appear, according to the condition of the obligation, the recognizance executed by Mr. McCracken was forfeited, and that an action . . . was . . . brought . . . in which judgment for $3000 was obtained by the United States against Mr. McCracken on the 15th of August 1864.
``Mr. McCracken, appealing `to the Executive Clemency' now prays, `that upon the payment of costs and the sum of thirty dollars . . . the said judgment may be remitted.' . . . The question, I presume, which you desire me to answer . . . is, whether you have any Constitutional or statutory power to grant the relief which is prayed? I am of opinion that you have none. . . .'' (DLC-RTL).