or what length of time he did not say, for the reason
that he could not say. It was a military possession that he conferred,
and that possession would last only during the continuance of the
military occupation, and no longer. If General Sherman, by his General
Order No. 15, placed the colored people upon the lands along the coast
of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, for a temporary purpose, what
was the extent of the possessory right which he could confer? He did
not undertake to give a title for any defined period, but simply the
right of possession. It is fair to construe his order as meaning only
what he could do, giving the right of possession during military
occupancy. Now, sir, the President informs us that the rebellion is
suppressed; that the war is over; that military law no longer governs
in that country; but that peace is restored, and that civil law shall
now govern. What, then, is the law upon the subject? A right of
possession is given by the commanding general to certain persons
within that region of country; peace follows, and with peace comes
back the right of the real owners to the possession. This possession
that the General undertook to give, according to law, could not last
longer than the military occupancy. When peace comes, the right of the
owners return with it. Then how is it that Congress can undertake to
say that the property that belongs to A, B, and C, upon the islands
and sea-coast of the South, shall, for two years from this date, not
belong to them, but shall belong to certain colored people? I want to
know upon what principle of law Congress can take the property of one
man and give it to another.

"I know very well what may be done in the courts by a proceeding for
confiscation. I am not discussing that question. If there has been any
property confiscated and disposed of under proceedings of
confiscation, I do not question the title here. That is purely a
judicial question. But, sir, I deny that Congress can legislate the
property of one man into the possession of another. If this section is
to pass, I prefer that this confirmation shall be for three years
rather than leave it in the uncertain state in which General Sherman's
order left it.

"The sixth section provides, 'That the commissioners shall, under the
direction of the President, procure in the name of the United States,
by grant or purchase, such lands within the districts aforesaid as may
be required for refugees and f