judicial proceedings has not been interrupted by the rebellion, and shall cease in every State when the courts of the State and the United States are not disturbed in the peaceable course of justice, and after such State shall be fully restored in its constitutional relations to the Government and shall be duly represented in the Congress of the United States.

SEC. 15. That all officers, agents, and employees of this bureau, before entering upon the duties of their office, shall take the oath prescribed in the first section of the act to which this is an amendment, and all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

Act of March 2, 1867 (14 Stats., 485).

AN ACT making appropriations for the support of the Army for the year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, and for other purposes.

SEC. 5. That it shall be the duty of the Freedmen's Bureau to prohibit and prevent whipping or maiming of the person as a punishment for any crime, misdemeanor, or offense, by any pretended civil or military authority in any State lately in rebellion until the civil government of such State shall have been restored and shall have been recognized by the Congress of the United States.

Act of March 2, 1867 (14 Stats., 545).

AN ACT to regulate the disposition of an irregular fund in the custody of the Freedmen's Bureau.

Whereas the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands reports a retained bounty fund, derived from a portion of the State bounties of certain colored soldiers enlisted in Virginia and North Carolina during the years eighteen hundred and sixty-four and eighteen hundred and sixty-five, and by virtue of General Order Number Ninety, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, series of eighteen hundred and sixty-four, holden by the superintendent of freedmen's affairs, but turned over to the said freedmen's bureau upon its organization; and whereas the said commissioner has in his possession the names of those soldiers from whom the said money was taken; and whereas he has uniformly returned the same. upon the application or discovery of legal representatives, but retains a considerable portion thereof belonging to soldiers who are either deceased or who can not be found: Therefore,

That the said Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, or his successor in office, be, and he is hereby, constituted the lawful custodian of said retained bounty fund, and appointed trustee of the same for the benefit of said colored soldiers or their lawful representatives.

SEC. 2. That the said commissioner be, and he is hereby, specially authorized and empowered to invest the said fund, or any portion thereof, in bonds of the United States for the exclusive benefit of the said colored soldiers or their legal representatives: Provided, however, That a sufficient amount of the same in cash be retained uninvested to

meet all lawful claims thereupon that will probably be presented for payment: And provided further, That any portion of the said fund which may remain unexpended when the said bureau shall cease to exist shall be accounted for by said commissioner to the Treasury of the United States.

Resolution of March 29, 1867 (15 Stats., 26).

A RESOLUTION in reference to the collection and payment of moneys due colored soldiers, sailors, and marines, or their heirs.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all checks and treasury certificates to be issued in the settlement of claims for pay, bounty, prize money, or other moneys due to colored soldiers, sailors, or marines, or their legal representatives now residing, or who may have resided, in any State in which slavery existed in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, the claim for which has been or may be prosecuted by an agent or attorney, shall be made payable to the commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, who shall pay the said agent or attorney his lawful fees and expenses, and shall hold the balance subject to the order of the claimants on satisfactory identification; but no money shall be paid to any person except the claimant or his or her legal representatives, if deceased; nor shall any power of attorney, transfer, or assignment of the amount of said claims, or any part thereof, be recognized or allowed by the commissioner, or by any officer or agent acting under him; and it shall be the duty of the said commissioner, the officers and agents of the Freedmen's Bureau, to facilitate as far as possible the discovery, identification, and payment of the claimants. SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That the commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau shall be held responsible for the safe custody and faithful disbursement of the funds hereby intrusted to him.

Resolution of March 30, 1867 (15 Stats., 28).

A RESOLUTION for the relief of the destitute in the Southern and South western States.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and hereby is, empowered and directed to issue supplies of food sufficient to prevent starvation and extreme want to any and all classes of destitute or helpless persons of the people in those Southern and Southwestern States where a failure of the crops and other causes have occasioned widespread destitution; that the issues be through the Freedmen's Bureau, under such regulations as the Secretary of War shall prescribe. And to that end the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed, through the commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, to apply so much as he may deem necessary for the purposes aforesaid of the unexpended moneys heretofore appropriated to supply freedmen and refugees with provisions or rations: Provided, That the expenditure shall not extend beyond the present appropriations already made for the Freedmen's Bureau.

Resolution of January 31, 1868 (15 Stats., 246).

JOINT RESOLUTION for the relief of destitute persons in the South.

That the Secretary of War be hereby authorized to issue, for the relief of any and all classes of destitutes in the South, such desiccated potatoes and desiccated mixed vegetables as have accumulated during the war and are not needed for use in the Army; the same to be issued under the direction of the commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands.

March 10, 1868 (15-41).-Commissioner of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands charged with expenditure of the $15,000 appropriated for the relief of the destitute in the District of Columbia.

Act of July 6, 1868 (15 Stats., 83).

AN ACT to continue the Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees, and for other purposes.

That the act entitled "An act to establish a Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees," approved March three, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, and the act entitled "An act to continue in force and to amend "An act to establish a Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees,' and for other purposes," passed on the sixteenth of July, anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-six, shall continue in force for the term of one year from and after the sixteenth of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, excepting so far as the same shall be herein modified. And the Secretary of War is hereby directed to reestablish said bureau where the same has been wholly or in part discontinued: Provided, [That] he shall be satisfied that the personal safety of freedmen shall require it.

SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to discontinue the operations of the bureau in any State whenever such State shall be fully restored in its constitutional relations with the Government of the United States, and shall be duly represented in the Congress of the United States, unless, upon advising with the commissioner of the bureau, and upon full consideration of the condition of freedmen's affairs in such State, the Secretary of War shall be of opinion that the further continuance of the bureau shall be necessary: Provided, however, That the educational division of said bureau shall not be affected, or in any way interfered with, until such State shall have made suitable provision for the education of the children of freedmen within said State.

SEC. 3. That unexpended balances in the hands of the commissioner not required otherwise for the due execution of the law may be, in the discretion of the commissioner, applied for the education of freedmen and refugees, subject to the provisions of laws applicable thereto.

SEC. 4. That officers of the Veteran Reserve Corps, or of the volunteer service, now on duty in the Freedmen's Bureau as assistant commissioners, agents, medical officers, or in other capacities, who have been or may be mustered out of service, may be retained by the commissioner, when the same shall be required for the proper execution of the laws, as officers of the bureau, upon such duty and with the same pay, compensation, and all allowances, from the date of their appointment, as now provided by law for their respective grades and

duties at the dates of their muster out and discharge; and such officers so retained shall have, respectively, the same authority and jurisdiction as now conferred upon officers of the bureau" by act of Congress passed on the sixteenth of July, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-six.

SEC. 5. That the commissioner is hereby empowered to sell for cash, or by installments with ample security, school buildings and other buildings constructed for refugees and freedmen by the bureau, to the associations, corporate bodies, or trustees who now use them for purposes of education or relief of want, under suitable guarantees that the purposes for which such buildings were constructed shall be observed: Provided, That all funds derived therefrom shall be returned to the bureau appropriation and accounted for to the Treasury of the United States.

Act of July 25, 1868 (15 Stats., 193).

AN ACT relating to the Freedmen's Bureau, and providing for its discontinuance.

That the duties and powers of Commissioner of the Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees shall continue to be discharged by the present commissioner of the bureau, and in case of vacancy in said office occurring by reason of his death or resignation, the same shall be filled by appointment of the President on the nomination of the Secretary of War, and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and no officer of the Army shall be detailed for service as commissioner or shall enter upon the duties of commissioner unless appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and all assistant commissioners, agents, clerks, and assistants shall be appointed by the Secretary of War, on the nomination of the commissioner of the bureau. In case of vacancy in the office of commissioner happening during the recess of the Senate, the duties of commissioner shall be discharged by the acting assistant adjutant-general of the bureau until such vacancy can be filled.

SEC. 2. That the commissioner of the bureau shall, on the first day of January next, cause the said bureau to be withdrawn from the several States within which said bureau has acted, and its operations shall be discontinued. But the educational department of the said bureau, and the collection and payment of moneys due the soldiers, sailors, and marines, or their heirs, shall be continued as now provided by law until otherwise ordered by act of Congress.

Act of April 7, 1869 (16 Stats., 8).

AN ACT relating to freedmen's hospitals.

That the commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees and Freedmen is authorized and directed to continue the freedmen's hospitals at Richmond, Virginia; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and in the District of Columbia, including the asylum for aged and infirm freedmen and for orphan children: Provided, That the expense thereof shall be paid by the commissioner out of moneys heretofore appropriated for the use of the bureau: And provided further, That said hospitals shall be discontinued as soon as may be practicable in the discretion of the President of the United States.

Act of June 10, 1872 (17 Stats., 347).1

AN ACT making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and for other purposes.

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Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands.

Pro

vided, That the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands shall be discontinued from and after June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-two.

December 15, 1877 (20-7).-In the event of the work of collecting and paying bounty and other claims of colored soldiers and sailors not being finished before January 1, 1879, the bureau to be closed and all papers connected therewith to be turned over to the Paymaster-General.

'The unfinished business of the bureau was turned over to the Adjutant-General July 1, 1872. The bureau of colored troops, in his office, was finally closed June

30, 1879.