The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-09-08
MISCELLANEOUS.
Circular from the Freedman's Bureau.

portant circular was issued Tuesday:
WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF REFUGEES, !
FREEDMEN AND ABANDONED LANDS,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 4, 1865.
Circular No. 15.--Circular No. 10, of July
28th, 1865, from this bureau, is hereby re-
scinded and the following rules and regula-
tons are adopted for the purpose of establish
ing definite and uniform policy relative to
abandoned lands or real property, and lands
or real property to which the United States
shall have acquired title by confscation, OF
sale, or otherwise, which now or may hereafter
come under the control of this bureau, by viz
| tue of the act of Congress, approved March
| Sd, 1865, establishing it, and by order of the
President, to wit: Jl toca-
GENERAL ORDERS No. Ito, 10
WAR DEPARTMENT, June 7th, 1866.
| First. Abandoned lands referred to in the
law and regulations governing this bureau, are
defined, according to section second of an act
Of Congress, approved July I'd, 1864, as fol-
lows: jlol rl st
Property, real or personal, shall be regarded
as abandoned when the lawful owner thereof
shall be voluntarily absent therefrom and en-
| gagged either in arms or otherwise in aiding or
encouraging the rebellion--- H
Second, Property will not be regarded as
confscated until after the decree of the United
States Court for the district in which the
property may be found has been made, by
which the property is condemned as. enemies
property and becomes the property of the
United States. @ &C. ~suc
Third All abandoned land or real property,
and all land and real property to which the
United States shall have acquired title by con
fscation, or sale, or otherwise, that is or may
hereafter come under the control Of the Bue
reau of Refugee Freedmen and Abandoned
Lands, by virtue of said act and orders Of the
President, is and shall be set apart for the use
of loyal refugees and freedmen, and so much
as may be necessary assigned to them as pro-
vided In section fourth of the act establishing
the bureau, viz: to every male citizen, wheth-
Ell refugee or freedman as aforesaid, there
shall be assigned no. more than forty acres of
such, and the person to whom it is SC, assigned
shall be protected in the use, and enjoyment of
the land for the, term of three years. at an an
nual rent not exceeding six per centrum upon
| the value Of said land as it was, appraised by
the State authorities in the year. 1860, for the
purpose of taxation, and in case no such ap-
praisement 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 Commission may by regulation prescribe
at the end of said term, or at any time during
said term, The occupant of any parcels SO
assigned may purchase the land and receive
such title thereto as the United States can con-
vey, upon paying therefor the value of the
land ascertained and fixed for the purpose Of
determining the annual rent Aforesaid
Fourth, All lands or other real property
within the several States, viz Virginia,
No,4l, ~ South Horo1ipo Gooroio IE7Yar;
da, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky
Missouri, Maryland, Arkansas, Louisiana and
Texas to which the United States has ac-
quired or shall acquire by confseation or sale,
orotherwise, and all abandoned landsor other
abandoned real property in these States, pro-
vided said property, whether confscated or
4 abandoned, remaining unsold or otherwise dis
posed of shall have been properly transferred
to the bureau upon requisition Of the Commits
sioners or Assistant Commissioners, shall be
considered as under the control of the Com
missioner of Refugees. Freedmen and aban-
doned Lands, for the purpose herein before set
FORTH and for the time authorizing the act es-
tablishing the bureau and no part or parcel
of said confscation or abandoned property
shall be surrendered or restored to the former
owners or other claimants except such sur
| rendered or restoration be authorized by said
Commissioner 'i 5'--'l@ ''.-' siI1i5
Fifth Assistant Commissioners WILL as
rapidly as possible, cause accurate descriptions
Of all confscated and abandoned lands, and
1 other confiscated and abandoned real property
that is now or may hereafter come under their
control to be made, and besides keeping Ter
cord of such themselves, will forward month
ly to the Commissioners of the Bureau copies
of such descriptions, in the manner prescribed
by circular No. 10, of July II, 1866, from
this Bureau They will with as little, delay as
possible, select and set apart such confscated
and abandoned lands and property as may be
deemed necessary for the immediate use of
refugees and freedmen, the specific division of
which into lots, and the retail or sale thereof,
according to the law establishing the bureau,
will be completed as soon as practicable, and
reported to the Commissioner Z In the selec-,
ton and setting apart Of such lands and pro-
4 perty, care will be used to take that about
which there is the least doubt that this bureau
shall have custody and control of, sri 81
Sixth. Whenever any land or real property
that shall come into the possession of this, bu-
rea as g abandoned" does not fall under the
definition of abandoned, as set forth in Sec
ton two of the act of Congress, approved july
I'd, 1864, hereinbefore mentioned, it will be
formally surrendered by the Assistant Com
missioner of the Bureau for the State in which
such real estate is situated, upon its appearing
that the claimant did not abandon the proper
ty in the sense defined in said section and
act. - . "a ,--I -+,5 - IlI e
Seventh. Former owners of property held
| by this bureau as abandoned, who claim its