Description
Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of America, To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting: Whereas, Juliet M. Boyd, of Nelson County Virginia, by taking part in the late rebellion against the Government of the United States, has made herself liable to heavy pains and penalties; And whereas, the circumstances of her case under her a proper object of Executive clemency; Now, Therefore, Be it known, that I Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of America, in consideration of the premise, divers and other good and sufficient reasons me thereunto moving, do hereby grant to the said Juliet M. Boyd a full pardon and amnesty for all offences by her committed, arising from participation, direct or implied, in the said rebellion, conditioned as follows: 1st. This pardon is to be of no effect until Juliet M. Boyd shall take the oath prescribed in the Proclamation of the President dated May 29th, 1865. 2nd. To be void and of no effect of the said Juliet M. Boyd shall hereafter, at any time, acquire any property whatever in slaves, or make use of slave labor. 3rd. That the said Juliet M. Boyd first pay all costs which may have accrued in any proceedings instituted or pending against her person or property, before the date of the acceptance of this warrant. 4th. That the said Juliet M. Boyd shall not, by virtue of this warrant, claim any property or the proceeds of any property that has been sold under this order, judgment, or decree of a court under the confiscation laws of the United States. 5th. That the said Juliet M. Boyd shall notify the Secretary of State, in writing that she has received and accepted the foregoing pardon. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this Fifteenth day of November A.D. 1865, and of the Independence of the United States the Ninetieth. By the President: Andrew Johnson, Secretary of State William Seward.

A printed form with manuscript additions and emendations in ink because the form assumed the recipient of the pardon would be male. Here, the masculine pronouns are changed by hand to feminine. Stamped (metal) signature of Andrew Johnson and ink signature of William H. Seward. A vertical document in two pieces 17 13/16 in x 11 ½ in, once contiguous. Fold tears repaired in the center of both sheets. Attached to the lower left-hand corner of page two is an old bookseller’s description pasted down: “Johnson. DS, folio, Aug. 25, 1865. A Rebel pardon. Fine and very rare.”

The recipient of this pardon is believed to be the wife of Henry C. Boyd (July 4, 1811 – August 23, 1865), Juliet Anna Massie Boyd (1819 – 1883). The proclamation referred to is President Andrew Johnson’s “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, May 29, 1865.” This proclamation restored all rights of property; and, in the case of Mrs. Boyd, once the terms set forth in this presidential pardon were met, her non-slave property was restored.

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