The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-12
LFRNS-IN ADVANCE,
The Freedmen's Bureau.

The Freedmen's Bureau.
The feelings of apprehension, a
week ago, that still farther difficulty
would be interposed to the reposses-
sion of property by this organization,
we are pleased to say, have not been
justified by our experience Gen.
Saxton, lately vested with the power
to restore lands not abandoned, and
]snds whose owners haye been par
I'D, has been acting with great in
c ~ and consideration, and many
ca have been presented; and ali,
or almost all, within the categories
mentioned, have been restored, where
the formaities he requires have been
complied with; and we are pleased,
also, to say, that he has not seemed
studious to make the fornaities more
onerous than would seem necessary
to protect the Government against
imposition.
From those who have been before
him, we have learned, and. we state
for the benefit of those yet to take
proceedings, that he seems to con-
slider the two questions: 1st Was the
property ."abandoned?'' that is, was
the ''owner thereof voluntarily alb
sent therefrom, aiding and encourag-
ing The rebellion?" If motif not
voluntarily absent, or absent volunta-
rny, not s'aiding and encouraging
the rebellion" it would seem to be
the rule TO restore the property with
out further showing; but if ''aban-
doned,',, then he would seem to re-
quire: 1st. Evidence of ownership;
I'd. oath or evidence that the appli-
cant is not worth $4,000, or rather,
is not within any one of the excep-
tions; and, Sd, that he has taken the
oath of amnesty mentioned and set
forth in bhe proclamation Of Presi-
dent johnson, of the goth May, 1865.
The oath commonly called the oath of
allegiancei under the proclamation of
President Lincoln, is, of course, of no
efficacy, unless it shall appear to
have been taken at the time of that
proclamation, and it shall be shown
that it has since been faithfully kept.
These conclusions, edednced from the
action of the Commissioner, are not
, necessarily correct; but they seem to
result naturally ,on his action, and
we give them, therefore, for such ad-
vantage as they may be to our readers.
. This movement in this Bureau, it
were but fair to say, has had cheer
ing effect upon the spirits of our
people. There was always, per-
haps, the confidence that they
would succeed in the end, and the
property be ultimately restored; but
they we're conscious of contesting the
question with the Bureau at great
disadvantage: It was often of vital
Importance to our people to get pos
session of this property, while it was
not at all vital to the Bareau to sur
render it, but, on the contrary, they
were all the better the longer they
retained it. To be sure, the negroes,
for whom they assumed to act, if the
property could not be permanently
retained, would be better off having
it restored at once, as the owners,
in that case, would the sooner be
~able to give the employment to
the blacks, which they must necessa-
rily require very much; butt was not
certain this would be d motive suf-
fciently strong to influence the con-
duct Of this organization. Experience
has shown the ability in public bodies
to endure vast amount of the impa-
tience, pain and .suferings Of people
to whom they are not responsible,
and our assurance as to the conduct
of this, under the circumstances, was
not perfect; but we have heard from
oil who have gone before the Commits
sion in charge here, that the business
is conducted with courtesy and de-
spatch; and the movement resulting
, has, as we have said, had quite a
cheering effect upon our peopie-an