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Regulations as to appointment of clerks and civilian agents.

WAR DEPARTMENT
BUREAU REFUGEES, FREEDMAN, and Abandoned Lands,
Washington, July 19, 1867.

Circular}
No. 24.

All clerks and citizen-agents in this Bureau will be appointed by the Commissioner, or higher authority.
Assistant-Commissioners will recommend for such appointments only those whose capacity and fitness for the duties required are well known, and such as can take the oath prescribed by the Act of Congress approved July 2, 1862, always bearing in mind that preference is to be given to those men who have proved their loyalty by faithful service in the army of the United States during the rebellion.
The prescribed oath must be taken by the person appointed before entering upon his duties.
The oath will be filed in the office of the Assistant Commissioner, and before the first payment is made to any agent or clerk for his services, he shall produce to the Distributing Officer the certificate of the Assistant-Commissioner stating when the oath was taken, and that the same has been filed in his office.
Assistant-Commissioners may suspend agents and clerks from duty when their services are no longer required, or for other causes, of which they will immediately inform the Commissioner, who, if he shall approve their action, will revoke the appointments, to take effect from the date of the suspension from duty. 
No final payment will be made to any agent, clerk, or assistant, until he shall have satisfied the Disbursing Office by proper certificates that he has properly accounted for all moneys, Bureau, or other public property, for which he has been responsible as an agent of this Bureau.
Hereafter, Assistant-Commissioners will render a monthly report of all citizen-agents and clerks on duty in their respective States, giving their station, date of appointment, and date of oath of office. Changes will be noted in column of remarks.
O.O. HOWARD
Major-General, Commissioner 

Official:
D H Williams
1st Lt 41" U.S.I & A.A.Adj.-Gen.