Mr. ELIOT. Mr. Speaker, I hardly think the Gentfrom Kentucky would seriously desire to insert in abill to be passed here apro vision that itshall not override the constitution. The constitution will take care of itself, and we cannot interfere with it. There is nothing in this bill that attempts to do so. I was about to say, Mr. Speaker, that, because of the action which the bureau had taken, and the belief on the part of the President that the parties securing pardons should have a right to the restoration of their lands, another order, which is pretty well known as circular No. 15, was issued and under the operation of that circular, on its appearin g satisfactorily to any asst commis Qoner that any property under his control is not “abandoned, ” as defined in the law, and that the U.S. have acquired no perfect right to it, it is to be restored and the fact reported to the Commissioner. “Abandoned” and s were to be restored to the owners pardoned by the President, by the asst commission ers, to whom applications for such restoration were to be forwarded and each application was to be accompanied by the pardon of the PreSident and by a cop of the oath of amnesty prescribed in the presients proclamation, and also by a proof of title to the land. It must be obvious that the edect of this must have been to transfer from the care of the bureau to the owners very large portions of the land which had been relic upon for the support of the freedmen. Within afew weeks from the date of that order, no less than $800,000 worth of in NewOrleans was transferred and aprooupteortnye 3rd of the whole property in NCarolina in possession of the bureau was given up; and the otheer having charge of the land Dept reports that before thqend of the year, in all probability, there will be under the charge of the Commissioner little, if any, of the lam s originally designed for the support of these freedmen. It is obvious, if these lands are to be taken, that other lands must be provided, or the freedmen will become a dead weight upon the Treasury, and the bill under consideration assigns other lands, in the place of those thus taken from the unoccupied public lands of the U.S. 2 months before the Commisswn took the control of the bureau, in January, 1865, Major GenlSherman , then at Savannah, issued the celebrated Field Order No. 15. You will find that order in the printed report of GenlHoward. It is very well known that by that order the islands from Charleston, south, the abandoned ricefields along the river for 30 miles back from the sea, and the country bordering the StJohns river, Florida, were reserved an set apart for the settlement of the negroes made free by the acts of war and the roclamation of the POTUS. I had occasion to see that order in Janna last in manuscrilit, and when the privileges it conferred were nown to the freedmen the gladly availed themselves of the benefits it secured to them. Settlements increased and industry was fostered; and during the war regiments were formed to fight our battles from the me n who were living on these Edisto islands. The order of GenlSherman provides as follows: “11. At Beaufort, Hilton Head, Savannah, Fernan dina, StAugustine, and Jacksonville. the blacks may remain in their chosen or accustomedvocations. but on the islands, and in the settlements licrcafter to he established, no white person whatever, nnlcss military officers and soldicrsdotailed forduty, will be permitted to reside: and the sole and exclusive management of affairswill be left to the freedpeople themselves, subject only to the U.S. military authority and the actsof Congress. B the laws of war and orders of the POTUS the negro is free, and must be dealt with as such. He cannot be subjected to conscription or forced military service. save by the written ordersof the highestmi itary authorityof the Dept, under such regulations as the President or congressmay prescribe. Domestic servants, blacksmiths. carpenters, and other mechanics, will be free to select their own work and residence, but the young and ablebodied negroe smust be encouraged to enlist assoldierain the service of the U.S., tocontribute theirshare toward maintaining their own freedom, and securing their rights as citizens of the U.S. "Negroes so enlisted will be organised into companies battalions, and regiments. under the orders of the U.S. military authorities, and will be paid, fed, and elothed accordingto law. The bounties paid on enlistment may, with the consent of the recruit, o to assisthis family settlementin procuring agricu tnral implements, seed, tools, boots. clothing, and other who esnecessaryfor their livelihood.” Now, sir, this House will be called upon to say what shall be done in behalf of the freedmen who were thus invited by GenlSherman to fight our battles, and thus assigned by him lands on t. hcse islands. These assignments or allotments, made by him as a military commander, conferred merely possessory titles. There have been efforts made to remove these freedmen from these lands; and last October it became necessary for the Commissioner of the bureau to go to SCarolina for the purpose of seeing what arrangements, if any, he could make. It had been said that the freedmen were to be removed. Great feeling, great sorrow, and great indignation had been expressed; and great fears had been entertained lest the word of promise to the car should be broken to the ho e. GenlHoward, on his reaching there, called a meeting of the freedmen and soon as certained one fact; and that was, that they were unwillin to work for their former masters. I believe there was no exception. He found they were fearful of removal and he stated to them what he believed were the wishes of the president, and what was his own duty to the community under his charge. It resulted in this: an agreement was made, a form of obligation entered into for the owner to sign, and a form of transfer was made giving u the land, and it was supposed by Genera oward that under this circular o. 16, the lands would soon be taken from the freedmen. Here the hammer fell.]