The loyal Georgian. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1867, 1866-02-17
BILL TO. ENLARGE THE
POWERS OF THE FREED
MEMS BUREAU.

Sectlon l.. L nat the action to establish
a Bureau for the relief of freedmen aud
refugees. approved March 3, 1863, shall
continue III force until otherwise provid
ed by law, and shall extend to refugees
and freedmen in all parts of the United
States, and the Persistent may divide the
section of country containing such refu.
gees and freedmen into districts, each
containing one or more States not oex>
coed twelve in number, and, by aud with
the consent of the Senate, appoint All
Assistant Commissioner for each of said
districts, who shall give like bond, receive
the compensation aud perform the duties
prescribed by this and the act to which
this is an amendment; CIR said Bureau
may, in the discretion Of the President.
b. placed under Commissioners and AS
sistant Commissioner, to be detailed
from the army, in which event each officer
50 assigned shall serve without in>
crease of pay or allowances.
2. That the Commissioners, with the
approval of the President, shall divide
each district into a number of sub, dis.
tricts not to exceed the number of coun>
ties or parishes in each State, and shall
assign to each sub district at least one
agent, either citizen, officer of the army
or enlisted man, who, if an officer, shall
serve without additional compensation or
allowances, and if citizen or enlisted
man shall receive salary not exceeding
81 500 per annum f; and such agent shall,
before entering on the duties of his Office,
take the oath prescribed in the first Sec
tion of the act to which this is an amend
ment. Each Assistant Commissioner
may employ not exceeding six clerks, one
of the third and five of the first class,
and each agent of a sub-district may EN-,
ploy two clerks of the first class. And
tie President CT the United States,
through the War Department, and the
Commissioner shall extend military iuris.
diction and protection over all employees,
agents, and officers Of this Bureau in the
exercise of the duties imposed or author.
lied by this act, or the act to which it is
supplementary
3 That the S, cretary of War may
direct such issues of provisions, clothing,
fuel and other supplies, including medl-
cal stores and transportation, and afford
such all, medical or otherwise, as he may
deem necessary for the immediate and
Temporary shelter and supply Of desti>
lutte and suffering refugees and freedmen,
their wives and children, under such rules
hnd regulations as he may direct
A. That the President is hereby au-
khorized to reserve from sale or from
settlement, under the homestead or pre-
tmptiun laws, and to set apart, for the
7use OF freedmen aud loyal refugees, un.
occupic public lands in Florida, Arkan>
sas aud Mississippi, not exceeding, in
all, 100000 Of acres of good land and
the Commissioner, aud under the direc>
ton of the President, shall cause the
same, from time to time, to be allotted and
assigned, in parcels not exceeding forty
acres each, to the loyal refugees and freed
men, who shall be protected IN the use
and enjoyment thereof, for such term Of
time, and at such annual rent as may be
agreed on between the Commissioner and
such refugees and freedmen. The rental
shall be based upon valuation of the
land, to be ascertained in such manner
as the Commissioner may, under the
direction of the President, by regulation
prescribe. At the end of such term, or
sooner, if the Commissioner shall assent
thereto, the occupants of any parcels so
assigned may purchase the land, and re-
ceive a title thereto, from the United
States, in fee, upon paying therefor the
value of the land, aseertained as oresald.
5. That the occupants of the land
under Major General Sherman's special
field order, dated at Savannah, Jan. 10,
1865, are hereby confirmed in their pos
session for the period Of three years from
the date of said order; and no person
shall be disturbed in or ousted from said
possession during said three years, unless
a settlement shall be made with said &C.
cupant by the owner, satisfactory to the
Commissioner of the Freedmen's BureaVs
6. That the Commissioner shall, under
the direction of the President, procure,
| in the name of the United States, by
grant or purchase, such lands within the
district aforesaid, as may be required for
refugees and freedmen dependent on the
| government for support; and he shall
| nrovide. or cause to be built, suitable
asylums and schools. But no such
purchase shall be made. or contract made
and entered into, nor other expenses in
Cured, until after appropriations shall
have been provided By Congress for the
general purposes Of this act out of which
payments for said lands shall be made.
Aud the Commissioner shall cause said
lands, from time to time, to be valued, al.
lotted, assigned, and sold, in manner and
form provided in the proceeding section
Ian