Viewing page 174 of 275

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

HEADQUARTERS
District of {Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands.} Mississippi.
Circular, No. 21} Office Assistant Commissioner,
For the State of Mississippi,
Vicksburg, Miss., Dec., 20th, 1866.

The following extract from "Bureau Officer's Manual," is published for the information of Bureau officers of this State, and all others concerned:
"Hereafter, transportation of freedmen to and from states where there are Assistant Commissioners of this Bureau, will be given by this Bureau, under the provisions of General Orders 138, War Department A.G.O., series 1865, only upon the following conditions:
I. - That the freedmen to be transported are those who are now dependent upon the Government for support, and are liable to remain for some time to come so dependent, or who are located at points where there is great destitution, and are liable soon to become, for any considerable time, dependent on the Government for support.
II. - That persons, other than the freedmen themselves, who apply for transportation of such freedmen shall furnish to the Assistant Commissioner of the State to which such freedmen are to be transported, indubitable evidence: - 
1st. That the applicants are able to give comfortable homes, employment under their own personal direction, reasonable wages and rations to such freedmen. 
2d. That they need the services of such freedmen to enable them to carry on legitimate trade or business. 
3d. That they will contract with such freedmen, in person, to furnish them at the place named in the application, such homes, employment, wages, and rations. Such contracts to be approved by the Assistant Commissioner of the State from which such freedmen are to be transported, and to be made in quadruplicate; one copy for each of the contracting parties, and the remaining two copies to be delivered to the Assistant Commissioner of the State to which such freedmen are transported. 
5th. That they give ample security to the Assistant Commissioner of the State to which such freedmen are to be transported, that they will not sell or otherwise transfer any order of transportation or fare or passage upon such order, that they will actually transport the parties named in the contract to be made under the provisions of the third paragraph of these Regulations, to the place of destination named in said contract. 
III. - That the application to the Commissioner for the order of transportation shall be made by the Assistant Commissioner of the State from which such freedmen are to be transported. 
IV. - That when the contracts, above mentioned, are completed, and before any freemen shall be removed from the State, upon the order to transportation, a list of the freedmen to be transported,