From Frederick Pollock 24 June 1848

Revd. Sir

I have read your letter & all the accompanying papers & I have carefully gone over my notes.

The present result in my mind is decidedly that the matter ought to be submitted to the Secretary of State - which may be done either by a direct application to him or by sending it to me that I may forward it - which I shall certainly do - (perhaps the latter may be the more favourable mode of bringing it under the notice of the Secretary of State).

I am not immediately prepared to express any opinion on the subject beyond this - that in the present state of the criminal-law every facility ought to be given to the discovery of error & the correction of mistake - in the present instance in the only evidence agt. riches is the direct positive testimony of Mrs Golding as to his identity - that is a description of testimony frequently found to be (however honest) very wrong - the occasion was one of considerable alarm & excitement, & there were other sources of error - in favour of an accused person I think all moral grounds for believing his innocence ought to be considered - on the whole it seems to me that the whole case as it stands ought to be submitted to the [illeg.] authority & judgement of the Secretary of State - & I am willing (nay desirous) of either forwarding a petition to Sir Geofrey or being referred to by him.

I remain your faithful & obt. servt

Fred Pollock

P. S. I may add that the absence of any appearance of violence on the Person of Riches was a favourable circumstance not to be overlooked