Mr. WILSON. Thispropositiouis to strike out the 6th section of the House bill and to insert 7 sections in lieu of it. I will state that this 6th section refers to the lands in Georgia and SCarolina occupied under GenlSherman ’s special field order. The purpose is to allow tie President to restore those lands to the owners by the lst of January. As far as we can learn, there are between 25,000 and 30,000 acres that have been taken up by the freedmen in accordance with the provisions of GenlSherman ’s field order. There is a great deal of controversy over them. I see that. General Steadman and General Fullerton have recommended to the President that they be given up to the owners by the lst of January next. Some 900 persons have acquired titles to small portions of those lands. We proposeto give up those lands in this manner: we have acquired about 40,000 acres of land by tax sales 0n the islands in SCarolina; those are in the possession of the government; now, we repose that in lieu of the claims acquired under GenlSherman ’s or der, those lands shallbe divided up into 20 acre lots and shall be sold to the persons who have these titles at their cost to the Government. They are to go on the lands and have 6 years within which to pay for them. They cost the Government about one dollar and a half an acre. This, it is thought, will settle all this difficulty. These lands on the islands are our lands; they are‘ in our possession: they amount to about the same number of acres that have been acuired by these colored persons under General ‘herman's field order. this now proposed that they shall have these lands set apart to them, which shall not for 6 years be alienated by them, and they shall pay the Government a small pittance of a dollar and a half an acre, which was the cost to the Government. Then we have 6,000 acres, some 33 tracts, said to be worth ten dollars peracre, which we authorize tlfe selling of at ten dollars peracre, and which are not to be sold for less, which have been set apart by the commissioners, and are now used and rented for the purpOses of a school fund. We propose to have those lands sold between now and the lst of January, and that the proceeds shall be a fund for the benefit of the persons residing upon those islands for school purposes. If this amendment shall be adopted, we shall provide for the restoration of the lands set apart by GenlSherman , and we shall allow persons who have acquired titles under his order to acuire titles to the land we possess. It is believe by those who understand the condition of affairs there to be an arrangement that will be satisfactory to all. We provide further that if any betterments or improvements have been made on these lands, these persons, before being removed from the lands, shall have the benefit of them, and also the benefit of the present crop, which they planted and which they are to gather. I believe that the adoption of this amendment will be a great advantage to the freedmen, and that it will relieve us from the comtroversy that has rown up in regard to the lands set apart an or the special order of GenlSherman . I will say that several persons wlu know all about the lands and about the condition of affairs there of the freedmen think that the provisions of this bill will be a great advantage to all concerned.