8-th, 2004 - 30: 0   (Posted By: Webmaster)
James Finch to W. A. Plecker - March 24, 1927

James Finch to W. A. Plecker
Washington, D.C., March 24, 1927

Sir:

Your letter of March 19, 1927, to the President, in behalf of Marcus Garvey, has been referred to this Department for acknowledgement and consideration. In reply you are advised that whatever Garvey's aims and aspirations were and are for the colored race, he was convicted of fraudulent use of the mails, of which he was undoubtedly guilty, and many thousands of colored people throughout the United States were defrauded out of small sums aggregating in the whole probably $1,000,000. Owing to his great popularity with the colored race and their unbounded confidence in him and his failure to recognize that he has done anything wrong in the matter, the chances are that if, or when, released he will again exploit these willing victims with the same result, probably, as before. The Department has not, as yet, found any justification for hastening that date.

Respectfully,

JAMES FINCH
Pardon Attorney