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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Josiah Martin to James Iredell
Martin, Josiah, 1737-1786
April 06, 1774
Volume 09, Pages 1008-1009

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Governor Martin to James Iredell.

Newbern, April 6th, 1774.

Sir,

I am favored with your letter, enclosing a Petition signed by many of the Principal Inhabitants of Edenton, recommending to mercy, a certain John Foscue, now lying under sentence of Death at that place, and as it will be inconsistent with the deference due to the Judges of the Court where he was tried, to grant a pardon without their recommendation, and without consulting them on the circumstances of the Law, I have sent a Warrant to the Sheriff to respite his execution for one month, to the end that I may in the mean time, inform myself of the Judge's sentiments and the particular circumstances that appear in favor of the Delinquent. This I owe to justice, as well as decorum, entertaining at the same time the greatest respect for the signers of the Petition you have transmitted

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to me, and feeling every disposition to show mercy wherein it may be done consistently with a due regard to Justice.

I am with great respect &c.,
JO. MARTIN.