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may have endeavored to do so & thought he was doing so.

According to Attorney General Clifford, the with-holding of the rent in question from one, would be the infliction of a "forfeiture" on me after I was pardoned, &, as I conceive, in direct opposition to the object & intent of the pardon.

With regard to General Butler's order No. 20, I respectfully submit that it is simply an order directing only that the estates of rebels are to be turned over to one or the other of two certain specified Departments, without any reference whatever to or bearing on the question of rent to be at some future time allowed for the occupation of the estates. Even had the order adverted at all to the subject of rent & directly prohibited the payment of rent, it is most manifest from the legal opinions hereinbefore cited, that it could not rightfully be now applied to as authority against or as over-riding the act of the President ; but it makes no pretension to deal with the question of rent at all.

This order most clearly, on the very face of it, has reference only to the tenure by certain Government Officials of Rebel estates in time of actual war, & contains no word or sentence prospectively bearing (even by implication) on questions of rent that might arise in a future state of peace. If operative

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-04-08 14:55:54