The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1865-05-06
CIRCULAR l
No. 4. |
EXTRACT.

l. The islands from Charleston. south. the
abandoned rice fields along the rivers, 10. thlr's
miles back from the sea, anl tn" country bor1a:,
ing the st, Johns River, Florida, are reserved
and set apart for the settlement a! the negroes
made free by the acts of war and the Praclama-
tion 1f the President of the United States.
III, At Beaufort, Hilton Head. Savannah, Fer
nandina St Augustine, and Jacksonville the
blacks may remain in their chosen or accustomed
ayocations but on the islands and IN the setue-
ments hereafter to be established. no white per
sous whatever unless military officers or soidiers
detailed for duty. win be permitted to reside ;
and the sole and exclusive mana cement Of affairs
will be left to the freed people themselves, sub
ject only to the United States military authorlty'
and the acts OF Congress. BY the laws OF war,
and order. of the President Of the United States,
the negro is free and must bc dealt with as such'
q
III, Whenever three respectable negroes, heads
of families shall desire to settle on land, ana
shall have selected for that purpose an isllnd or
n l3eatify clearly defined within the limits ABOVE
designated, the Inspector OF Settlements ana
Plantations will himself, or by such subordinate
officer az he may appoint. give them license to
= ,ttle such island or district. and afford them
such assistance as he e1n. 10 enable them to es-
tabl,sh peaceable agricultural settlement. The
three parties named viii subdiylde the land. un-
.ler tho supervision OF the Inspector. among
themselves, and such others as may choose to
n plot of not more than forty liO acres. ot lIlable
ground and when il borders on some wafer chan
mel with not more than eight hundred feet front,
in the possession of which land the military au-
ihorities will afford them protection. until such
Iimes as they can project themselves, or nnnl
Congress shall regulate their title.
$
". Whenever negro has enlisted IN thu mill
tary service of the United States, he may locate
his family in one Of the settlements at pleasure,
and ACQUIRE homestead and all other rights and
prvele es of settler, as though pre- sent in per-
son in Ike manner negroes may settle fnelr
families and engage On board gunboats. or IN nsi-
ing, or in the navigation OF the inland waters.
without losing any claim to land or other advan-
tayeo derived from this system. But no one. un-
less an actual settler as above defined or unless
absent ON Government service, will he entitled to
claim any right to land or property in any settle
meat. by virtue of these orders.
W In order to carry out this system OF settle
meat a General Officer will be detailed as Inspec-
Ior of Settlements and Plantations. whose duty,
II shall he to visit the settlements, to regulate
their police and general management, and who
will furnish personally to each head Of family.
subject to In, approval Of the President
Of the United States, posscssory title
in writing. giving, as near as possible, the de.
scription of boundaries, who shall adjust all
claims or conflicts that may arise under the same,
subject to the like approval, treating such titles
altogether possessory. The same General Of
ucer will as } be charged with the enlistment aad
organization Of the negro recruits, and project
ing their interests while so absent from theirsct-
dement's /: and will be governed by the rules and
regulations prescribed by the War Do2artmca!