FEEEDMEN AND REFUGEES. 



373 



it is well ; but if not, he will at least take cog- 

 nizance of all that is being done to educate refu- 

 gees and freedmen, secure proper protection to 

 schools and to teachers, promote method and 

 efficiency, correspond with the benevolent 

 agencies which are supplying his field, and aid 

 the assistant commissioner in making his re- 

 quired reports. 



Surgeon 0. W. Horner, chief medical officer 

 of the Bureau, will have the general supervision 

 of medical matters connected with refugees 

 and freedmen. The assistant commissioners 

 will instruct their medical and other officers to 

 make the medical department self-supporting as 

 far as possible. 



All public addresses of a character calculated 

 to create discontent are reprehensible ; but the 

 assistant commissioner and his agents must ex- 

 plain by constant recapitulation the principles, 

 laws, and regulations of this Bureau to all 

 parties concerned. It is recommended to the 

 assistant commissioners to draw up in writing 

 a careful summary, to be publicly and privately 

 read by agents throughout their respective dis- 

 tricts. Circular No. 15, as revised and issued 

 September 12th, gave important instructions 

 relative to abandoned lands. It was as follows : 



Circular No. 15. 



WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF REFUGEES, ) 



FEEEDMEN AND ABANDONED LANDS, > 



WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 1865. ) 



1. Circular No. 13, of July 28, 1865, from this 

 Bureau, and all portions of circulars from this Bureau 

 conflicting with the provisions of this circular, are 

 hereby rescinded. 



2. this Bureau has charge of such tracts of lands 

 within the insurrectionary States as shall have been 

 abandoned, or to which the United States shall have 

 acquired title by confiscation or sale, or otherwise; 

 and no such lands now in its possession shall be sur- 

 rendered to any claimant except as hereinafter pro- 

 vided. 



3. Abandoned lands are defined in section 2 of the 

 act of Congress approved July 2, 1864, as lands the 

 lawful owner whereof shall be voluntarily absent 

 therefrom, and engaged either in arms or otherwise 

 in aiding or encouraging the rebellion. 



4. Land will not be regarded as confiscated until it 

 has been condemned and sold by decree of the United 

 States Court for the district in which the property 

 may be found, and the title thereto thus vested in the 

 United States. 



5. Upon its appearing satisfactorily to any assistant 

 commissioner that any property under his control is 

 not abandoned as above defined, and that the United 

 States has acquired no title to it by confiscation, sale, 

 or otherwise, he will formally surrender it to the 

 authorized claimant or claimants, promptly reporting 

 his action to the commissioner. 



6. Assistant commissioners will prepare accurate 

 descriptions of all confiscated and abandoned lands 

 under their control, keeping a record thereof them- 

 selves, and forwarding monthly to the commissioner 

 copies of these descriptions in the manner prescribed 

 in circular No. 10, of July 11, 1865, from this Bureau. 

 They will set apart so much of said lands as is neces- 

 sary for the immediate use of the loyal refugees and 

 freedmen, being careful to select 'for this purpose 

 those lands which most clearly fall under the control 

 of this Bureau, which selection must be submitted to 

 the commissioner for his approval. The specific di- 

 vision of lands so set apart into lots, and the recital 

 or sale thereof, according to section 4 of the law 

 establishing the Bureau, will be completed as soon 

 as practicable and reported to the commissioner. 



1. Abandoned lands held by this Bureau may be 

 restored to owners pardoned by the President, by the 

 assistant commissioners, to whom applications for 

 such restoration should be forwarded, so far as prac- 

 ticable, through the superintendents of the districts 

 in which the lands were situated. Each application 

 must be accompanied by first, evidence of special 

 pardon by the President, or a copy of the oath of 

 amnesty prescribed in the President's proclamation 

 of May 29, 1865, when the applicant is not included in 

 any of the classes therein excepted from the benefits 

 of said oath; second, proof of title. Officers of the 

 Bureau through whom the application passes will en- 

 dorse thereon such facts as may assist the assistant 

 commissioner in his decision, stating especially the 

 use made by the Bureau of the land. 



8. No lands under cultivation by loyal refugees or 

 freedmen will be restored under this circular until 

 the crops now growing shall be secured for the bene- 

 fit of the cultivators, unless full and just compensa- 

 tion be made for their labor and its products and for 

 their expenditures. 



0. 0. HOWARD, Maj.-Gen., Commissioner. 



ANDREW JOHNSON, 

 President of the United States. 



TABULAE STATEMENT OF PEOPEETY IN THE POSSESSION OF AND EESTOEED BY THE BUEEAU OF 



EEFUGEES, FEEEDMEN, BTC. 



* No report received of property restored. 



t No report received. 



$ No land in possession. 



