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in my judgment his guilt not having been clearly established the sentence was unnecessarily, not to say unjustly served* This in connection with his advanced age (65 yrs) his crippled condition (having lost his right hand accidentally years ago) his previous good character justifies on in recommending his case to the proper authorities as one entitled to peculiar clemency and I earnestly hope the attention of His Excellency the Governor of Va. will be called to the facts in this case.

I am also firmly of the opinion that the interests of the freedmen as a general thing would have been advanced to a much greater extent through the instrumentality of the Freedmens Courts than they have been under the operation of the Civil Courts.

Respectfully 
Your Obt Svt
Jno W. Jordan
Bvt Lieut Col. U.S.A.
Asst Supt. &c

*the sentence alluded to was imprisonment in the Penitentiary for the term of Five years.