It will be remembered that the President's proclamation
excluded fourteen classes of persons from the benefit of the
amnesty, but permitted them to make special application, and
such clemency would be extended as might be consistent
with the facts of the case, and the peace and dignity of the
United States. In general, the excepted persons were those
who left high official stations under the government of the
United States to serve the Confederacy, those who acted as
diplomatic agents of the Confederacy, or held military office
above the rank of colonel; those who left the army or navy
of the United States to aid the Confederacy; those who were
educated at the military or naval academy, and afterward
took up arms against the United States; "rebel" governors;
and those who enlisted in the Confederate army, and whose
taxable property exceeded $20,000 in value. ¹ The majority
of those in Mississippi, who were thus excluded from the
amnesty, belonged to the latter class. The records of the
Attorney General's office show that down to July 1, 1867,
special pardons had been granted by the President to 949
residents of the state. Of these about 800 were persons
worth over $20,000; about 90 had been postmasters; 55,
Federal tax collectors and assessors. The remainder had
been United States commissioners, agents of various kinds,
attorneys, receivers, mail carriers, contractors, etc. Pardons
in every case were granted only upon the recommendation
of some "loyal" person. Many of the recommendations from
Mississippi were made by Governor Sharkey. ²

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