y bit of legislation, vague and
uncertain in outline. A Bureau was created, "to continue during the
present War of Rebellion, and for one year thereafter," to which was
given "the supervision and management of all abandoned lands and the
control of all subjects relating to refugees and freedmen," under "such
rules and regulations as may be presented by the head of the Bureau and
approved by the President." A Commissioner, appointed by the President
and Senate, was to control the Bureau, with an office force not
exceeding ten clerks. The President might also appoint assistant
commissioners in the seceded States, and to all these offices military
officials might be detailed at regular pay. The Secretary of War could
issue rations, clothing, and fuel to the destitute, and all abandoned
property was placed in the hands of the Bureau for eventual lease and
sale to ex-slaves in forty-acre parcels.

Thus did the United States government definitely assume charge of the
emancipated Negro as the ward of the nation. It was a tremendous
undertaking. Here at a stroke of the pen was erected a government of
millions of men,--and not ordinary men either, but black men
emasculated by a peculiarly complete system of slavery, centuries old;
and now, suddenly, violently, they come into a new birthright, at a
time of war and passion, in the midst of the stricken and embittered
population of their former masters. Any man might well have hesitated
to assume charge of such a work, with vast responsibilities, indefinite
powers, and limited resources. Probably no one but a soldier would
have answered such a call promptly; and, indeed, no one but a soldier
could be called, for Congress had appropriated no money for salaries
and expenses.

Less than a month after the weary Emancipator passed to his rest, his
successor assigned Major-Gen. Oliver O. Howard to duty as Commissioner
of the new Bureau. He was a Maine man, then only thirty-five years of
age. He had marched with Sherman to the sea, had fought well at
Gettysburg, and but the year before had been assigned to the command of
the Department of Tennessee. An honest man, with too much faith in
human nature, little aptitude for business and intricate detail, he had
had large opportunity of becoming acquainted at first hand with much of
the work before him. And of that work it has been truly said that "no
approximately correct history of civilization can ever be written which
does no