President Lincoln pardons man indicted of treason

As a promise to Kentucky's Congressional delegation, Mr. Lincoln pardoned Herman Franks who had been indicted for treason. Charles Sumner of the congressional Committee on Government Relations had recommended a bill to appoint commissioners to the Negro governments of both Liberia and Haiti. This week Mr. Lincoln signed that bill. These were the first Negro governments  recognized by Congress. Recognition of Haiti had been denied since the administration of President of Thomas Jefferson in 1804 when Haiti became an independent country. Mr. Lincoln met with Maryland Governor Augustus W. Bradford and Colonel John R. Kenly. Kenly had been captured at the battle of Front Royal on May 23. He was allowed to be paroled in order to arrange for exchanges for his men still incarcerated.