The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-09-06
CHARLESTON, August 10, 1865.

ISG op9Clal nOt1CCS ID cents q line.
4 CHARLESTON, August 10, 1865.
TO his Eccellency b. r. Perry, P,oci-
Siondl Gore,7.0r, &C., dc. =.
GOVERNOR: In pursuance of your
instructions, I proceeded to the head
quarters of Maj. Gen. Gilmore. COM
manding the Depal tment of South
Carolina. General Gilmore informed
Inc that the courts, the character and
procedure of which was directed to
investigate, had no jurisdiction what
ever rs to any questions connected
with real estate; that they were, in
fact, instituted only to Investigate
those usual claims which arise in the
ordinary course of Business between
resident citizens and troops in mill
tary occupation. That as to the lands
within the lines of military occupa-
ton, he had no authority as to ques-
tions either of possession OF title, the
whole slbiec,, IN all its connections,
having recently been transferred to the
newly CT r>atad Bureau of Refugees,
freedmen and Ab;Sldoned Lands. He
therefore forwarded your letter to
Mag. Gen. SaXton, the Commissioner
OF that Bureau for this department,
and referred me to that officer for such
information as L was instructed to
procure.
laccordingly proceeded to Beaufort,
the headquarters of Gen. Saxton.
Gen. SaXton. received me with great
courtesy, and furnished me every IA
clllty Tor the examination of the Acts.
orders and circulars creating the bu-
rcau and prescribing its duties.
L Will best discharge the duty as
signed me by placing before you all
abstract of these various documents.
DO not think it necessary to refer to
the Older Acts of Congress. farther
than to quote from the Act of July,
1864, the following definition Of
abandoned llnds:'
property, real Or personal. shall
DE regarded as abandoned where the
lawinl owner thereof shall be volunta-
1lly absent. thcrefrom, and engaged
either III arms or otherwise, in aiding
or encouraging the rebellion"
On March 8, 1868, an Act was ap-
proved by the President, enactinp
That there is hereby established in
tSe War Department, to continne
during the present war of rebellion,
ana tor one year thereafter, Il bureau
OF refugees, freedmen and abandoned
Lands, to which shall be committed. as
hereinafter provided, the supervision
and management OF aIl. abandoned
lands and the control Of I'LL subjects
relating to refugees and freedmen
from rebel States, or from any district
OF country within the territory en-
braced IN the operations Of the army.
under such rules and regulations as
may be prescribed by the head Of the
bureau and approved by the Presi-
dent"
After providing the official machine
ry for the working of the new bu-
reau. the Act provides, section 4:
n ''That the Commissioner. under the
direction of the President, shall have
authority to set apart, for the use of
loyal refugees and freedmen, such
tracts of land within the insurrection-
AIRY States as shall have been aban-
doned, or to which the United States
snail have acquired title by confsca-
non or sale, OF otherwise; and to
every male citizen, whetheArefugee or
freedmen, as aforesaid, there shall be
assigned not more than forty acres of
sl'ch land, and the persons to whom
1T was assigned shall be protected IN
the u use and enjoyment of the land for
the term OF three years, at Oh annual
rent not exceeding six per centum
spon She value of such land as it WAS