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the freedman entitled to Executive clemency, will not hesitate to pardon him. In the mean time I wish to say that the statement of T. J. Mackay is not entitled to much credit, if he made the statements before the Reconstruction Committee attributed to him by the newspapers. Be this as it may, however, I will write at once to the authorities and obtain a certified [[strikethrough]] copy [[/strikethrough]] statement from the offices of the Court where Orange Bray was tried, and obtain other evidence from Gentlemen known to me to be reliable, and when such facts are obtained, will at once do what strict justice tempered with mercy requires at my hands.

In the mean time I beg to assure you of my readiness to co-operate with you, in lending you all the aid in my power,