Annotation
[1] ADf, DLC-RTL. This communication was not completed, but see Lincoln to Butler, December 21, infra, in which Lincoln enclosed a copy of his incomplete draft. Lincoln's communications to Peirpoint, August 5, supra, and to Butler, August 20, supra, are concerned with the conflict between Butler's military government in Norfolk and the ``restored'' government under Governor Peirpoint, the temporary capital of which was located at Alexandria. Butler's two reports, February 23 and August 1, 1864, are in the Lincoln Papers. Forty and forty-one pages in length, respectively, they are too long for adequate quotation or extended summary, but the case was simply that both Butler and Peirpoint were trying to govern Norfolk. At a Norfolk election held under Butler's orders, citizens voted to retain martial law rather than to accept Peirpoint's administration, whereupon Butler issued an order staying the civil government and making it subordinate to the military government. On July 30, Edward K. Snead announced that, being the duly elected judge of the First Judicial District of Virginia, he was going to hold court. Butler questioned the legality of Snead's commission and authority and asked Snead whether his court was to be in opposition to or subordinate to the military government. Snead replied, according to Butler, that on the advice of Attorney General Bates, his court would be in opposition to the military government. Butler's reports roundly denounced Peirpoint, Snead, and likewise Bates, for meddling in Norfolk affairs.