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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO T. PICKERING, SECRETARY OF STATE. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811) [1854]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 9.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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TO T. PICKERING, SECRETARY OF STATE.

Inclosed are four petitions for mercy. One from Conrad Marks, Frederick Heyney, Anthony Stahler, John Getman, Valentine Kuder, Jacob Kline, David Schaffer, and Philip Desh; another from George Schaffer, Daniel Schwarts, Henry Stahler, Christian Rhodes, and Henry Schaffer; a third from Jacob Eyerman and John Everhart; and a fourth from John Fries; all supported by numerous petitioners in their behalf.

I wish Dr. Priestley could see these petitions, and be asked to consider whether it would be a pleasant thing to have an equal number of his neighbors in Northumberland brought by his exertions and example into a situation equally humble. I pray you to communicate these petitions to the heads of department, and especially to the Attorney-General. I wish all to consider whether it is proper that any answer should be given, by me or my order, to any of them. I think it may be said that these people are brought to humble themselves “in dust and ashes before their offended country.” That repentance, however, which, in the sight of an all penetrating heaven, may be sufficiently sincere to obtain the pardon of sins, cannot always be sufficiently certain in the eyes of mortals to justify the pardon of crimes.