Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-09-28
PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION.
The following will be read with interest
r WAR Dept, BUREAU OF !
REFuaEEs, FREEDMEN AND
jWasH1Neros, Sept. IL; 1866. ::

$50 ABANDoNEp LANDS,
.oN ;WAsHINeToN, Sept. 12,, 1865.
- gIRoULAR No. Is.
1. Circular No. Is, of July 28, 1865,
from this Bureau, and all portions Of cir
culars from this Bureau conflicting with the
provisions Of this circular, are hereby re-
cinded. -:
g. This Bureau has charge of such tracts
of lands within the insurrectionary States
as shall have been abandoned, or to which
the United States shall have acquired title
by confscation or sale, or otherwise, and no
such lands now. in its possession shall be
surrendered to any claimant except as here.
after provided
q 8. abandoned lands are defined in sec.
tion 2 Of the act Of Congress- approved July
2d, 1854, as lands the lawful owner whereof
shall be voluntarily absent thereffom and
engaged either in arms or otherwise in aid.
ing or encouraging the rebellion.
= 4. Land will not be regarded as confs-
Gated until it has been condemned and sold
by decree of the United States Court for
the district in which the property may be
found, and the title thereto thus vested in
the United States. ,,S -. -
5. Upon this appearing satisfactorily to
any Assistant Commissioner that any prop.
erty, under his control is not abandoned as
above defined, and that the United States
acquired no title to it by confscation, sale
or otherwise, be will formally surrender it
to the authorized claimants, promptly re-,
porting his action to the Commissioners
6. Assistant Commissioners will prepare
accurate descriptions Of all confscatea and
abandoned lands under their control, keep
ing record. thereof themselves, and for
warding monthly to the Commissioner copies
of these descriptions, in the manner pre-
.scribed ins.circular No. To-, of July II,
1866, from this Bureau They will set a.
part SO much of said lands as is necessary
forsthe immediate useSof the8loyal refugees
and freedmen, being careful to select for
this purpose thoseI1ands which mosssolsafly
fall under the control of this Bureau, which
selection must be submitted to the Commits.
missioner for his approval The specific
division Of lands to set apart into lots, and
the recital or sale thereof, according to SEQ.
tion of the law establishing the Bureau,
will be completed as soon as practicable
and reported to the Commissioner. .
Z. Abandoned lands held by this Bureau
may be restored to owiers pardoned b. the
President, by the Assistant Commissioners,
to whom applications for such restoration
should be forwarded, so far as practicable,
through the superintendents of the districts
in which the lands we're situated Each
application must BE accompanied by-frst,
evidence of special pardon by the President,
OF copy of the oath of amnesty prescribed
in the Presidents proclamation of May 20,
1865, whenthe applicants is not included in
any of the classes therein excepted from the
benefits of said oath; second, proof of title;
officers of the Bureau through whom the
application passes will endorse theron such
facts as may assist the Assistant Commits.
sioner in his decision, stating especially the
use made by the Bureau of the land.
8. No lands under cultivation by loyal
refugees or freedmen will be restored un-
der this circular until the crops now grow
ing shall be secured for the benefit of the
cultivators, unless full aud just compensa-
ton be made for their labor aud its pro.
ducts and for their expenditures. 49,
o. O. HOWARD, Maj. Gen. Cem'r.
ANDREW JOHNSON,
President Of the United States :.