A Pardon is Not Accepted by The Condemned

In 1829 a man named George Wilson was arrested for robbery and murder in a US mail holdup. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Some friends intervened on his behalf and were able to obtain his pardon from President Andrew Jackson. But Wilson refused it saying he wanted to die. Well, the sheriff didn’t know what to do, how do you execute a man officially pardoned? An appeal was made to the President who perplexed turned the matter over to the US Supreme court. Chief Justice John Marshall gave this ruling: A pardon is a piece of paper, the value of which depends on its acceptance by the person implicated. Thus, George Wilson was executed while his pardon lay on the sheriff’s desk! (Revolution Within” by Dwight Edwards)