Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-08-04

Act approved February sixth, eighteen hun
dred and sixty-thrce, entitled tan ACT to
amend All Act entitled an Act for the collec-
tion Of direct taxes in insurrectionary districts
within the United States, and for other pur-
poscs,' approved June seventh, eighteen hun
| drcd and sixty two" certain lands in the Par
ishcs of Saint Helena aud Saint Luke, South
Carolina, were bid in by the United States at
public tax sales, and by the limitation of said
Act the time of redemption of said lands has
expired; and, wherens, in accordance with
instructions issued by President Lincoln on
the 9th day of September, eighteen hundred
and siXty-threc, to the United States Direct
Tax Commissioners for South Carolina, ccr-
tain lands bid in by the United States in the
Parish of Saint Helena in said State, were, in
part. sold by the said Tax Commissioners to
heads of families of the African race" in
parcels Of not more than twenty acres to each
purchaser; and, whereas, under the said in
strnctions the said Tax Commissioners did
also set apart as "school farms certain par
cells of land in said Parish, numbered on their
plats from one to thirty three, inclusive, ma
king an aggregate of six thousand acres, more
or less Therefore, be it further enacted,
That the sales made to heads Of families of
the African race" under the instructions of
President Lincoln to the United States Direct
Tax Commissioners for South Carolina, of date
of September sixteenth, cightcc,. hundred and
sixty-thrcc, arc hereby confirmed and cstab
lishcd and all leases which have been made
to such heads of families" by said Direct
Tux Commissioners shall be changed into ccr-
tiicatcs of sale in all cases wherein the lease
provides for such substitution and all the
lands now remaining unsold which come with
in the said designation, being eight thousand
acres, more or less, shall be disposed of accord
ing to said instructions.
Sec. I. That all other lands bid in by the
United States at tax sales, being thirty. eight
thousand acres, more or less, and now in the
hands Of the said Tax Commissioners as the
property of the United States, in the Parishes
of ST Helena and ST. Luke, excepting tho
"school farms as specified III the preceding
section, and SO much may be necessary for
military and naval purposes at Hilton lead,
also the city Of Port Royal, on St. Helena
posed of in parcels of twenty acres, at one dol.
and to such only, as have acquired and arc
now occupying lands under and agrccahly to
the provisions of General Sherman s special
uary sixteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty
five, and the remaining lands if any, shall be
disposed OF in like manner to such persons as
had acquired lands agrccably to the said order
OF General sherman, but who have been dis
possessed by the restoration of the same to
former owners: Provided, That the lands
sold il compliance with tic provisions of this
aud the preceding section shall not be alicna.
i",s 'y their purchasers within six years from
and after the pnssagc of this Act.
See. g. That the "school farms" in the Par
ish Of st. Helena, South Carolina, shall be
sold, subject to any leases Of the same, by the
said Tax Commissioners, at public auction, on
or before the first day of January, eighteen
hundred and sixty seven, at not less than ten
dollars per acre; and the lots in the city of
Port Royal, as laid down by the said Tax
Commissioners, aud the lots and houses in the
town of Beaufort, which arc still held in like
manner, shall be sold at pubicauetion and the
proceeds OF said sales, after paying expenses
Of the surveys aud sales shall be invested in
United Statcs bonds, the interest of which
shall be appropriated, under the direction of
the Commissioners, to the support Of schools
without distinction of color or race, on the
islands in the Parishes of Saint Helena and
S'uint Luke.
Sec. o. That the Assistant Commissioners
for South Carolina and Georgia are hereby au
thorized to examine all claims to land in their
respective States, which are claimed under tho
provisions Of General Sherman's Special Field
Order, and to give each person having a valid
claim warrant upon the Direct Tax Com
missioner for South Carolina for twenty acres
of land, and the said Direct Tax Commission
ers shall issue to every person, or to his or
her heirs, but in no case to any assigns pre-
senting such warrant, q lease of twenty acres
of land, as provided for in Section Z, for the
term of six years; but at any time thereafter,
upon the payment of sum not exceeding one
dollar and fifty cents per acre, the person hold.
ing such lease shall be entitled to certificate
Of sale of said tract Of twenty acres from the
Direct Tax Commissioner or such officer as
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