The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-07-28
3CIKCTLAR.
Important tSugEestiOnsa and DlrecIiOns
i'm Reference to Freedmen.

WAsHrNaToN, July "a, 1855.
Editors Wheeling IntettigeMcer ; - 20
Have the kindness to publish the
EsubiOined circular and oblige, YOURS
specttully, Q. o, HOWARD,
sIe.sll5 Major Gen.
/ WAR DEPARTMENT,
BuREAut OF REFUGEES, EREEDAIEN,
.H AND ABANDONED LANDS,
Washington, July 12, 1865.
Cfrc"ECty No. l+ld Yt-l,3qa-r
INSTRUCTIONS To ASSISTANT CoAIMIs-
| | .sIoNERSlAND OTHER oFFICERS.
urEach Assistant Commissioner will be
careful, in the establishment of sub
districts, to have thetOftice of his agent
ERt some point easy of access for the
people of the sub-district. .sr
it1e WdlIhav atleast one agent, either
a citizen,i military officer or enlisted
mnn, in each sub-district. This agent
must be thoroughly instructed in his
tdnties! He will be furnished with the
lproper blanks for contracts, and will
institute methods adequate to meet the
wants of his district in accordance with
the rules of this Bureau. No fixed
rates ofwages will be prescribed for a
kdistriCt, but in order to regulate fair
wages in given individual cases, the
agent should have in mind minimum
rates for his own guidance. ByCareful
| inquiry as to the hire of nn able bodied
man when the pay went to the master,
he will have an approximate test of the
value 'Of labor. He must of course
consider the entire change of circum-
Istances, andGbe sure that the labOrer
has due protection against. nYarice and
extOrtion. Wages had better be secured
by n lien on the crops or land. Employ
terS are desired to- enter into written
agreements with employees, setting
forth stated wages, or securing an in
terest in the land or crop, or both. All
such agreements will be approved by
tile nearest agent, and q duplicate filed
in his Office. In case there should be
mo agents within reach, the nearest
postmaster will forward the duplicate
of contracts direct to the Assistant Com
misSionerifor the State. .El..I
Attention is specially called to section
4. of the law establishing the Bureau,
with regard to setting apart land to
"eVery malelcitizen, whether refugee or
freedman" &C., and the same arrange
iment is recommended, when it can be
effected, between private parties. AL
ready many farmers have rented lands
to freedmen and refugees. This course
is recognition of the general principle
in the law. ifus- --4s
b. IN order to enforce the fuIfillment of
contracts on both contracting parties.
the Commissioner of the Bureau laws
down nongeneral rule-the Assistant
commissioner must use the privileges
and authority ho Ulready has. Provost
courts, military commissions, local
courts, when the freedmen and refugees
have equal rights with other people,
arc open to his use. In. the great ma
tjority of cases his own arhitrament. or
that of his agent, or the settlement by
referees, will be sufficient. 7.
/ No Assistant Commissioner, or agent,
is authorized to tolerate compulsory
tnnnni1 fort lNn
ishment of, crime. Suffering may re-
suit to some extent, but suffering is
| preferred to- slavery, and is to some
events. tt.l So
In all actions the officer should never
forget that no substitute for slavery,
like apprenticeship without proper con.
sent, or peonage, Ii. e., either holding
the people by debt, or contininv them.
without consent, to the land by any
system, will be tolerated.
The Assistant Commissioner will de-
signate one or moro of his agents TO act
MS the general superintendent of schools
Zone for each State) for refugees and
| freedmen. This officer will Work MS
much as possible in conjunction with
Stato officers who may have school
matters in charge. If a general system
can be. adopted for u State, it is well:
but If not, he will ut least take cogni-
zance of fnll that is being done to etlu-
tcate refugees and freedmen, secure
proper protection to schools and teach
ers, promote method and efficiency,
correspond with the benevolent ngef-
cies which are supplying his field, and
mid the Assistant Commissioner in ma
king his required reports. H
Surgeon c. w. Horner, Chief Medical
Officer of the Bureau, will have the
| general supervision of medical matters
connected with refugees and freedmen,
The Assistant Commissioners will in
struct their medical officers, us they
have instructed other officers, to mike
the medical department SelE2supporting
as far MS possible.
All public addresses of IL character
calculated to create discomfort are re-
prehensible; but the Assistant Com
missioner and his agents must explain,
by constant recapftulation, the prfnci-
pies, laws, and regulations of this Bu-
reau, to NIL parties concerned. It is re-
commended to the Assistant Commits
sioners to draw up in writing careful
summary to be publicly and privately
read by agents throughout their respec-
tive districts. @ o. o.. HowARD.
lHGjOf General, Commissioner.
BANKs OF THE OLD DoM1N1ox.-The
Alexandra fVa.l Sentinel has the fol-