Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1866-03-07
The FTecdman's Dureau.
TIE VETOED BILL.

Act to establish a Bureau for the relief 0
Freedmen an Refugees and for other
purposes.
i, Be ii enacted dc, That the actto estab
5 lish q Bureau for the relief of Freedmen
. and refugees, approved March 8, 1865
shall continue in force until otherwise
0 provided hy law, and shall extend to refu
7 gees and freedmen in all parts of the
United States. and the President NAV di-
vide the section'of country within which
the privilege Of the wrIs of bu5eoS corpus
was suspended on the f-st day of Febru-
! ery. 1866, containing such refugees and
, freedmen, into districts, each containing
, one or more States, not TO exceed twelve
in number. and, by and with the advice
, and consent OF the Senate, appoint an As
slstant Commissioner for each Of said dis
trIcts who shall give like bond, receive
the compensation, and perform the duties
prescribed by this and the act to which it
Is an amendment; or said bureau may. in
the discretion Of the President, be placed
under u Commissioner and Assistant Com
missioner, to be detailed from the army.
in which event each officer so assigned to
duty shall serve without increase of pay
or allowances.
SEC. >. 4Rd be IL furtier enacted, That
the commissioner, with the approval Of
I the President, aud when the same shall
. be necessary for the operations of the
/ bureau, may divide each district into sub
I districts, not TO c-cccd the number of coua-
/ ties or parishes In such district. and shall
/ assign to each sub district ut least one
agent, either citizen. officer Of the army
or enlisted man who If any officer, shall
serve without additional compensation or
allowance. and If citizen or enlisted
man, shall receive c salary not less than
five hundred dollars nor moro than twelve
hundred dollars annually, according to
the services rendered, in full cOmpcnsa-
ton fer such services and such agent
shall, before entering on the duties of his
/ Office. take the oath prescribed in the first
section of the act to which this Is an
amendment And the Commissioner may
when the same shall be necessary, assign
TO each Assistant Commissioner not cx-
ceedng three clerks, and to each Of said
agents one clerk, at an annual salary not
exceeding one thousand dollars each pro
vlded suitable clerks cannot hc detailed
from the army And the President Of the
United States, through the War Depart
mont. and the commissioner shall extend
military jurisdiction and protection over
all employees agents and officers of this
Bureau in the exercise of the duties i'm
posed or authorized by this act or the net
to which this IS additional
Sc 3. -lu3 je Il Hrt5er enacted, That
tie Secretary Of war may direct such
issues Of provisions clothing, fuel, and
other supplies, including medical stores
and transportation, and afford such aid,
medical or otherwise. as he may deem
ncelful for the Immediate and temporary
shelter and supply Of destitute and suffer
jnE rcfu-ucs AMI freedmen their wives
and children, under such rules and reCu-
iations rs he NAV direct: PforiIcI. That
NO person shall BE- deemed .-dcstitutc,
Suffering or dependent upon the Cow
ernmeut for supQors, within the meaning
Of this act who being able 10 find employ
meut, gould BY proper industry and cxcr-
tian avoid such destitution, suffering, or
dependence.
SEC T. and be 1t further Cngctcd That
the President is hereby authorized to re
serve sale or from settlement, under the
Homestead or preempti0n laws, and to set
apart for the use of freedmen and loyal
refugees, male or female, unOccupiel pub
lie lands in Florida Mississippi, Alabama,
Louisiana, and Arkansas nOE exceeding
in all three million of acres of good land.
and the commissioner under the direction
Of the President, shall cause the same
from time 70 time to be allotted assigned,
+ i'm parcels not exceeding forty acres each,
90 the l0val refugees aud freedmen, wha
sha.. he protected in the use and enjoy
ment thereof tor such term Of time and at
such annual rent rs NAV he agreed on be
tween the commissioner aud such refugees
gr freedmen The rental shall he basc3
upon o valuation Of the land to be ascer-
tanned i'm such manner as the Coinm;s-
sloncr may, under the direction OF the
President. by regulation prescribe \:
tho end 81 such term. or sooner. if tho
. Commissioner shall assent thereto, the oc-
cuVaTts d any parcels So assigned their
/ heirs and assigns. may purchase the land
and receive "a ti-le thereto form the Ii nited
States IN fee, upon paving therefor the
value Of the Land ascertaincd rs alore-
said
I SEC ). lad de q. further enacted, That
the occupants If land under MAJ, Gen.
sherman special field order. dated at
Savannah, january sixteen. eighteen hun
dred and sixty-Eye are hereby r nflrmed
in their possession for the period ~ -Gree
years from the date Of said order, and no
person shall lie disturbed IL onr ousted
from s>ij possession during said three
wears unless a settlement shall be made
( with said occupant, by the -ormer owner.
SatiSfac orv 10 the Commissioner &C the
freedmen Bureep; Preceded, That when
+ ever the owners Of lands occupied under
General sherman field order shall make
application Tor restoration Of said lands,
the Commissioner Is hereby authorized,
uDQD taa agreement and with the written
consent of said occupants. 80 procure other
la~-s .rr them by rent or purchase. nos
.x....e... NJ forty acres E.r each occupant.