Orville Hickman Browning to Hanna & Knefler, 12 May 1868

May 12, 1868. Messrs. Hanna & Knefler, Counsellors at Law, Indianapolis, Ind. Gentlemen: It appears that the late Attorney General received a communication from you, under date of the 14th February last, representing that serious bad faith had been practised in procuring a pardon for one John Ebner, who had been convicted of violating the Internal Revenue Laws, and asking that the President should be advised to revoke the pardon on grounds of fraud. By direction of Mr. Stanbery, a copy of your communication, and also of other papers in the case, was sent to the District Attorney on the 5th March last, with instructions looking to a thorough investigation of the matter upon which your suggestion was founded. Mr. Stanbery's object appears to have been to ascertain whether the representations which had induced him to recommend that said pardon be granted, upon payment of all costs of prosecution, were substantially fraudulent. I have received the Report of the District Attorney, dated 1st instant, with a mass of evidence, touching, in the main, the guilty acts alleged on trial. I have considered, together with this Report and its enclosures, your communication aforesaid, the petitions upon which the application was made for the pardon, the report of the former pardon clerk of this Office to the late Attorney General, and other papers of the case. It is not my duty to pronounce any opinion upon the expediency of issuing a pardon upon such a state of facts. I can only say that upon a careful examination of all the papers submitted for my consideration, it does not appear that the late Attorney General's recommendation of a pardon was procured by fraudulent practices. A copy of this communication is furnished to the District Attorney, under this date. Respectfully, your obedient servant, O. H. Browning, Attorney General ad interim