The Petition of Phillip Phetty late an Inhabitant of the Township of Upper Manfield in the County of Bucks but now a languishing prisoner confined under the late penal Law to hard Labour on a Charge of Larceny

Humbly Sheweth That your Petitioner was at the last September Sessions sentenced by the Court (painful to own very justly on a Charge of Larceny for Stealing a few—Bushels of Wheat) to hard Labour for two Years—Your Petitioner has served six months thereof to the very Great distress of his Wife and five Small Children the eldest not Eleven Years old. The Wife tho an industrious woman has (by every honest Means) endeavoured, to support herself and children since your Petitioner has laboured under the weighty Burden the Court thought proper to inflict upon him; she finds her Efforts almost ineffectual even to procure them a Morsel of Bread, she has not a farthing at present to provide it, and but a gloomy prospect of her Capacity to get any, and must undubtedly ere long become a burden to the Township whereof they belong.

Your Petitioner begs leave further to represent that shou’d your Honour grant his humble request he fully intends emigrating to the back Country where he hopes by honest and industrious Means to provide an ample Livelyhood for himself and Family and if Possible to retrieve that Character he has here lost by being tempted and over persuaded to commit an Action he now views with that Abhorrence it justly deserves.

Your Petitioner therfore most humbly hopes for the Clemency of Your Honor that he may be enabled to prevent his family from becoming chargeable to the Township, that he may whilst his Children are yet together, be allowed to remove from this part of the Country, When perhaps at a future they may be bound to Masters who will not let them go with him, disappoint him in his Intentions of going and make him for ever after compleatly wretched—Your Petitioner begs that you will be pleas’d to remit that part of the Punishment yet to come, and your Petitioner as in Duty bound will ever Pray &c.

To his Excellency Benjamin Franklin Esquire President &c and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania We the Subscribers being well acquainted with the said Phillip Phetty your Petitioner do humbly pray that your Honor will grant him his Request—

We the Subscribers Justices for the County of Bucks on enquiry into the Carractor and Circumstances fo the afd. Petitioner beg leave to Recommend him to the Notice of Council

We the Subscribers being Neighbours and acquaintances of the said Phillip Phetty your Petitioner, and believing the facts within stated to be true beg that the Prayer of your Petitioner may be granted—

We the Subscribers Justices of the Peace for the County of Bucks, have known the Petitioner to be a very bad Man, but from his good Behaviour since his Confinement at hard Labour & the Difficulties in the Country so as to render the present Mode of Punishment effectually do approve the Purposes intended by the Legislature, are induced to recommend the Application of the Petitioner as worthy the Consideration of Council. Newtown 1st. April 1788

We the Commissioners of the County of Bucks concur in opinion with the Justices and think the application of the Petitioner worthy of the Consideration of Council.