Joseph R. Anderson Amnesty File, M1003, National Archives

Pittsburgh, July 20th 1865

To his Excellency

Andrew Johnston
President of the United States

The undersigned residents of the City of Pittsburgh, Beg leave respectfully to state that they have been informed by the letter hereto attached that J. R. Anderson of the Tredegar Iron Works of the City of Richmond Va., has made application to you for a special pardon. We have deemed it proper to attach the letter of Mr. Anderson (although a private one) because from our thorough knowledge of the man we are confident of the truth and sincerity of every word it contains, we being manufacturers having had large dealings with him before the war & having met and conversed with him since.

We ourselves have been earnest supporters of the Government during the war with our means and personal influence, are considered Radicals in our Political opinions, and would hesitate in urging the granting of Mr. Anderson’s petition for Pardon if we were not entirely satisfied of its propriety.

Mr. Anderson is a man of integrity and very great enterprise in fact just the kind of a man [page break] wanted in the South, he is a business man & not a politician, his Pardon would give a useful citizen to the community, refusing it would have no political effect, in the sense in which the Government is now discriminating in its punishment of offenders in the Rebel States.

We would beg leave to call particular attention to the fact (as stated in the candid and manly letter of Mr. Anderson) of his resigning his commission in the Confederate service as early as July 15/62 which we are satisfied was done with the intent and expectation of being relieved by the Presidents Proclamation of Amnesty, and we earnestly petition that the hope hopes he then entertained may not be futile or in vain.

Respectfully Your
Obedient Servts
Dilworth Porter & Co.

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