Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-06-08
OFFICIAL.
49,
r. LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,
Passed at the Second session OF the Thirty
Eighth Congress.

| [PUBnc-No 6S.1
AN ACT to establish bureau for the relief of
| Freedmen and Refugees
Be enacted By the Senate and Horse of Repre-
sentatiSes Of The Uhaed States Of An,erica in ON
gress assembled, That there is hereby establish
ed in the War Department, to continue during
the present war of rebellion, and for one year
| thereafter, a bureau of refugees, freedmen ami
abandoned lands, to which shall be commit
ted, as hereinafter provided, the superys sion
and management of all abandoned lands and
the control of all 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 prcscrib-
ed by the head of the bureau and approved by
the President. The said bureau shall be un-
der the management and control Of Commits
sloner TO be appointed by the President, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate
whose compensation shall be three thousand
dollars per annum, and such number of clerks
as may he assigned to him by the Secretary of
| War, not exceeding one chief clerk, two of
! the fourth class two of the third class and
| five OF the first class And the Commissioner
and all persons appointed under this act, shall,
before entering upon their duties. take the oath
OF Office prescribed in an act entitled IAN act
| to prescribe an oath of Office, and for other
purposes" approved July second, eighteen
hunpred and sixty two and the Commission
er and the chief clerk shall before entering up-
on thcir duties, give bonds to the Treasurer Of
! the United States the former in the sum of
| hfty thousand dCi!a:S, and the latter in the
sum of ten thousand dollars, conditioned for
/ the faithful discharge of their duties respee-
| lively, with securities to be approved as suffi-
| Gent by the Attorney General, which bonds
shall be filed in the office of the first Comptrol-
Ter of the Treasury to be by him put in suit
for the benefit of any injured party upon any
breach Of the conditions thereof. .aas
Sec. ,. And be IL further enacted That the
Secretary of War may direct such isues Of pro-
visions, clothing and fuel, as he may deeu,
needful for the immediate and temporary shell
ter and supply of destitute and suffering refl,-
gees and freedmen and their wives and chill
dren, under such rules and regulations as he
may direct. EEE
See 3. And Ie IL further enacted, That the
President may, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, appoint an Assistant
Commissioner for each OF the States declared
to lie In insurrection, not exceeding ten i'm
number, who shall under the direction of tho
Commissioner, aid in the execution of the pro-
visions OF this act; and he shall give a bond
to the Treasurer of the United States. in the
sum of twenty thousand dollars, in the form
and manner prescribed in the first section of
this act. Each OF said commissioners shall
| receive an annual salary Of two thousand five
hundred dollars in full compensation for all
his services. And any military officer may be-
detailed and assigned to duty under this act
without increase of pay or allowances. The
| Commissioner shall, before the commencement
OF each regular session of Congress, make full
report OF his proceedings with exhibits of the
state OF his accounts to the President, who
shall communicate the same to Congress. and
shall also make special reports whenever re-
qulred to do SO by the President or either
House OF Congress and the Assistant Com
missioners shall make quarterly reports of their
proceedings TO the Commissioner and also
such other special reports as from time to time
may be required
Sec. 4. Ind be IL further enacted, That tn,
Commissioner, under the direction of the Pres
ident shall have authority to set apart for the
use of loyal refugees and freedmen such tracts
OF land within the insurrectionary States as
shall have been abandoned, or to which the
United States shall have acquired title by con-
hscation or sale, or otherwise, and to every
male citizen, whether refugee or freedman. as
aforesaid, there shall be assigned not more
than foIty acres OF such land, and the person
to whom it was SO assigned shall be protected
in the Use and enjoyment of the land for the
term ot three years at an annual rent not ex-
ceedIng SIX per centum upon the value OF such
land, as il was appraised by the State authori-
ties in the year eighteen hundred and sixty,
for the purpose of taxation, and in case no
such appraisal can be found, then the rental
shall be based upon the estimated value of the
land in said year, to be ascertained in such
manner as the Commissioner may by regula-
tiUn prescribe. At the end of said term. or at
any time during said term, the occupants Of
any parcels SO assigned may purchase the land
and receive such title thereto as the United
States can convey, upon paying therefor the
value of the land, as aScer tanned and fixed FOX
the purpose Of determining the annual rent
aforesaid. ..... ....
Sec 6. ARd be IL yfarihcr enacted, That all
acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the
provisions OF this act, are hereby repealed.
Approved, March 3, 1865