of the President, be
placed under a commissioner and assistant commissioners, to be
detailed from the army, in which event each officer so assigned to
duty is to serve without increase of pay or allowances.

"The commissioner, with the approval of the President, is to divide
each district into a number of sub-districts, not to exceed the number
of counties or parishes in each State, and to assign to each
sub-district at least one agent, either a citizen, officer of the
army, or enlisted man, who, if an officer, is to serve without
additional compensation or allowance, and if a citizen or enlisted
man, is to receive a salary not exceeding $1,500 per annum. Each
assistant commissioner may employ not exceeding six clerks, one of the
third class and five of the first class, and each agent of a
sub-district may employ two clerks of the first class. The President
of the United States, through the War Department and the commissioner,
is to extend military jurisdiction and protection over all employes,
agents, and officers of the bureau, and the Secretary of War may
direct such issues of provisions, clothing, fuel, and other supplies,
including medical stores and transportation, and afford such aid,
medical or otherwise, as he may deem needful for the immediate and
temporary shelter and supply of destitute and suffering refugees and
freedmen, their wives and children, under such rules and regulations
as he may direct.

"It is also provided that the President may, for settlement in the
manner prescribed by section four of the act to which this is an
amendment, reserve from sale or settlement, under the homestead or
preemption laws, public lands in Florida, Mississippi, and Arkansas,
not to exceed three million acres of good land in all, the rental
named in that section to be determined in such manner as the
commissioner shall by regulation prescribe. It proposes to confirm and
make valid the possessory titles granted in pursuance of Major-General
Sherman's special field order, dated at Savannah, January 16, 1865.
The commissioner, under the direction of the President, is to be
empowered to purchase or rent such tracts of land in the several
districts as may be necessary to provide for the indigent refugees and
freedmen dependent upon the Government for support; also to purchase
sites and buildings for schools and asylums, to be held as United
States property until the refugees or freedmen shall purchase the
same, or they shal