The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-27
THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU.
THE VETOED BILL.
An Act to amend an Act entitled can Act to o..
tablish Bureau for the relief of Freedmen and
Rafugssa,, and for other purpnsea.

An Act to amend an Act entitled can Act to o..
tablish a Bureau for the relief of Freedmen and
Refugees" and for other purposes.
Be At enacted, &C., That the act to establish q
bureau for the relief of freedmen and refugees ap-
proved March 3, 1865, shall continue in force un-
til otherwise provided by Law, and shall extend to
refugees and freedmen IN all parts OF the United
States, and ,he president may divide the section
of country within which the privilege OF the writ
of hdbe1S corpus wss suspended on the first day oil
February, 1866, containing such refugees and reed
men, into districts, each containing one more
states, not to exceed twelve In number. and, by
and with the consent of the senate, appoint an
sIstant commissioner for each ofsad districts who
shall give like bond, receive the compensation and
perform the duties prescribed by this and the act
to which this is j q amendment said bureau
may, in the discretion of the president, be placed
ender a commissioner and assistant commission
ers, to be detailed from the army, in which event
each officer assigned to duty shail serve without
increase of duty or allowances.
SEc.2. And be it further enacted, That the COM
missioner with the appro7a of the president, and
when the same shall be necessary for the opera
tons of the bureau, may divide each district into
sub d Istricts not to exceed the number OF coun-
ties or parishes In such district, and shall assign
to each sub-district at least one agent either o
citizen, officer of the army, or enlisted man. who,
if an officer, shall serve without additional COM
pensation or allowance, and if citizen or enlist
ed man, shall salary OF not less than Eve
hundred dollars nor more than twelve hundred
dollars annually according to the services render
cd, in full compensation for such services; and
such agent shall, before entering upon the duties
of his office, take the oath prescribed in the frat
section of the act to which this il IN amendment.
And the commissioner may, wien the same shall
be necessary, assig to each assIstant commission
er not exceeding three clerks, and to each Of said
agents one clerk, II an annual salary not exceed
ing one thousand dollars each, provided suitable
clerks cannot be detailed from the army. And
the president OF the United States, through The
war department, and the commissioner, shall ex-
tend military jurisdiction and protection over all
employees agents, and officers OF this bureau in
the exercise of the duties imposed authorized
by this act the act TO which this is additional.
Sec. 3. And be it. further enacted, That the
re.ary of war may direct such issues of provisions,
clothing, fuel, and other supplies, including msdi-
cal stores and transportation, and afford such aid,
medical or otherwise. az he may deem needful for
the immediate and temporary shelter and supply
of destitute and suffering ref gees and freedmen,
regulations az he may direct Proridsd, That no
person shall be deemed "desttute,'' "suffering,"
or dependent upon the governm ent tor support,n
within the meaning of this act, who, being able to
fud employment, could by proper industry and
eIertion avoid such restitution, suffering, or de
pendeDce.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the
president is hereby authorized to reserve from
sale or from settlement, under the homestead or
presumption laws, and to set apart for the use of
"eeuhen anu ioydi IeiuB ooss meie OF female, IN
occupied public lands in Florida, Mississippi, AL
ALBANIA, Loui sana and Arkansas, not exceeding in
all three millions of acres OF good land and the
commissioner, under the direction OF the pres.
dent, shall cause the same from time to time to
be allotted and assigned in parcels not exceeding
40 acres each, to the loyal refugees and freedmen
who shall be protected in the use and enjoyment
thereoffor such term of time and at such annual
rent a. may be agreed upon between the commits.
sioner and such refugees freedmen. The rent.
al shall be based upon valuation of the land, to
BE- ascertainsd in such manner - the eoumission.