### TEEATTORNEYGENERAL OF TEXAS

WLL WILSON ATTORNEYGENERAI. March 5, 1957

Hon. C

.‘H. Cavness State Auditor Capitol Station Au&in, Texas Opinion 

### lo.WW43 Rer Legality of legislative appropriations for beneflt oi the Alabama Coushatta Indian Dear Sir: Reservation In Polk County, and related questions. Your letter of February 

### 7,1957 presents aertaln queatlons regarding the Alabama Coushatta Indian Re.servatlon in Polk County. Broadly stated, you inquire aa to the legality of state appropriations for the benefit o? a,aidReservation as to the effect of certain phases of Public Law

### 627,

b3rd Congress, terminating Federal aupervision over aald tribe, as to the rl ht of the state to erect certain improvements on the 12 80 acre portion OS the Reservation bought by the state for the Indians, in 

### 1054, and aa to the proper disposal of funds from timber sales on said tract.

Before attempting to answer your several questions apeclflcally, wedeemit appropriate to.revlew the history OSIndlan leglslatlon in Texas.

Wlthln less than a year after the battle of San Jacinto, the Republic of Texas euacted its first Indian aid bill. TheAat of December 

### 5,1836, 1 Oammlls Laws of Texas 1113, required President Sam Houaton to raise a Calvary force of 280 mendud to erect necessary block houaes, forts and trading housea to prevent Indian depredations. Hewas further dlreoted to “enter Into such negotiations and treaties as In blo opinion maysecure peace to the frontlera; and that he have power to appolnt agents to reside amongst the Indians and that he be authorized to distribute amongst the different tribes such presents aa he maydeemneoesrary, not exceed in amount $20,000.”Ron. c. B. Oavness pys 2 OQiniOn no. m 43

Interestlngly‘~enough, 5 days later an A& was P ssea authorizing the president to borrow 8 20,000 for puPchasing ammunition and munitions of war.’ 1 Cammel 1136. The Joint Reaolutlon of ’ November 7, 1838, 2 dammel3, appropriated another $20,000 to the equipftlng of an army of 250 smnunder General ThomasJ. Rusk to quell the lnsumectlon now.exlstlng amongthe IndLans andMexlcans.n This Act was followed by others at froqueht Intervals tn an effort to hold off the depredatlow o? hostile tribes.

In the meantlae it appears that a department of Indfam Aftafrs was set t@, which, appropriately enough, ren In the red*and a Joint Resolution of Jaauexy 15, 1839 appropriated 62,000 to-pay off “arrears a” in said department for’ the year 1838. 2 Gammel 5. r At an early date, the plan was inaugurated o? placing the Indiana-‘in segregated areas or “reservatlolu*, away from white settlements, in an effort to Keep the peaae. TheAot of ’ January 14, 1840, 2 ffammel371, requllad President Mlrabeau Lamarto have surveyed two : leagues OPland, lnaludlng the “Coahattee” Indian Village, and 2 leagues of land, Including the fenced in village of the Alabama tribe, for the “exclusive uae and benefit of said tribes of Indiana, until othervlse provided for **by** Ia+. The pmdaent van also ordered to have aurvegsd a 30 mile square on the front%er, ah vblch friendly Indiana vere to be plaaed aa ooon as olraumatanoes wot.ila permit. An “Indian Agent for the Coshattee andAlabama tribes” was to be appointed and

“$2,000 in p=mlasolg notiesWwas appmprlated themior.

OnFebruary 5, 1840 anAct was passed appraprlatlng not exceeding $1,000 for “supporting the Caddo Indians while their armsvere detained from them”

. 2 Oammel417. The genepal appropplatlon bill o? Januam 6, 1843 contained this item: “For Indlah purposes -- $lo,ooo.” 2 Barnmel 828.

TheAot of January 14, 1843 created a “BWeeU of Indian Affairs” attached to the WarDepartment and.

Ron. C-.H. Cavnear Pye 3 0plllion lo. WY43

provided for eppOM%BQt’ of four Indian Agents Snd one Superintendent D The President of the Republic was given

“power to makesuch arrangement8 and regulations with the several. tribes OSIndiana as he maydeemexpedient for the establishment and preservation of peace, and the promotion of the aommonwelfare.” Commlasloners vere given certain instructions In making treaties with the tribe8 and certain restrlatlons were imposed on trade with the IndLans. 2 Gammel 842.

OnFebruapJ 3, 1854, an Act vaa passed authorltl~g the gFaRt out of the QubliC domain or the puFchase by the State for the Alabama Indians o? the land lnvolved in your request, being 1280,acrea la Polk and/or Tyler Counties “as a homeior the sald tribe of Indians.” 4 @anmel68. A prlae not to exceed $2 an acre was authorieed and warranty doeds weanto be taken “conveying the saw to said tribe of Indians.n The Act forbade alienating **or** leasing the land and psovlded for a reversion of the land to the State in the event another homewasprovided by the State.

patterned after the Act just wntloned and oloselg followi 1856 granting a7 its terms was the Act of August 30,

40 acre scservation to the “Coshattee” tribe in Llbetiy, Polk or Tyler Counties. 4 Oammel503.‘

. Later the Ret of February $6, 1.858appPoprlated $5,000 for the removal of said tribe to such a plaae as the governor’and the chiefs could agree onp with the former reservation reverttng to the State. 4 6ammel 1154.

Other naematlons vere being QrOViaea for in the 1850

’s. The Act of February 6, 1854 authoz%Zed the Federal government to select up to 12 leagues of Texas land, divided into not over 3 squares, for the establishment of Federal reservations for the Indlan tribes of Texas. 3 Gammel1495. TheAct of Bebruary 4, 1856 authorized the Federal oovernment to set apart 5 leagues4ve$e: it Pecos for reservations in that area. D The Federa Government appears to have been dilatory about sett :ng up reservat$ns wust of the Pecos, and the Act of January 29; 1858 urged prompt federal action inasmuch as the roving Indians la the area were cotsmlttiryl depredatioqs agalnat the white.,

Ion. C. H. Cavnoab 

### pae*4 opi;hlon 

### Ilo. ti i3

settlers. 

### 4 Oaatmei

### 1148., ThbAgt,of Janua

“aakz declared that 

### the ,I7leagues aboye dwntlone abandoned aa reaervatloas ,and,had **reverted** to the atat& and they were opened for settlement aa a part of the public aomaln. 

### 8 oynmel 

### 376.

‘ByAct o? Deae@ber 30, 1861, the o?~~O of

“Indlen Agent of the Alabama sad Cooahattle (ale) Indiane” ~88 amated with a aala= of and 4800 expanaoa. The agent vaa **t**400 per 8nnum **requ** red the latereata 

### ottbatrlk. 5-1 541. to **prowto**

The Oeaerel Appnaprlation Bill ror the 1864-65 contained an ltemg 'for the Alabama, Co8 r-

## ttoo andHuaaogee Indians WC annum, #l,OOO*. 

### 5 **Tb** Aat of Deaember 4, 1863 

### 8Vqnlwd **the** 

### Indian for there trlbea to sake annual reporta, on removal fxw dfflae. 5 Mamel 719.

During tM Civil Ifar, two bill8 we+ paaad ?or the relief of the To.nkaweJtribe on the frontier. #20,000 was ap roprlated ior their actual aw~ort on December 16 1 63, apparent1 aa a aillta

8 5 danmel 73b. ~n%ay 

### 28, 18&, an Aat 

### dft%%?’ loyalty of this tribe and the fmot oi the doatruotloa of half of them bg the enemyI tha Fmtd&er kln6 winderera, end authorlaed the governor to aottle thaa on the pub110 domain. 438,000 a year **for** tvo pas-0 nq jpproprlatoq fijr **tlyir** support. 5 -1 &O.

Durlry 

### tk la& FS’ or the Texar ~OQUbtiO, 

### 8 %-oat 

### of Poaoo, Frl~nd&lp~od CORFO~O”,d8Wd OoWbor 9 18d vaa oatrred II&O botvoon %bNRepubllo md m Chlc$, K000hi0, Waco, 

### Caddo,.Am-dah-lcah,‘Iotio, DolawWo,bharare,Cherokee, 

### Lip8nandTab-vab-lprm trlbor

. 2 Ganel ~1191. 

### Th8tnaty bopefull 

### rooitod “Thetowhavk 

### #hall be **burled,** and 

### nomore g 

### lood l Q

### pear in the path ktwen them, now-de vhlto. The W8at Spirit vi11 **look** 

### wlth ’delllplt upon 

### tblr fr%oad* ahlp, and till fmma In aa@r ‘upon *kiP eamityo*

Demite the bri#ht hoper r0r lartlng poaoo voloed **in** the **treaty** tb 

### ~~17 lawa of Taxa@-flat tlmt Indian depradatioua vere **a** f8lrlf oonstaat 

### mblO@ **UQ**until **about** 1880. Thelet of **Fobrpaly** 12, 1 880

.ri, ‘:, <’ :.,

._**mu. c** **0 H.**  **cavners mge**  **5** 

### opinion **lo, WV** **43**

8trtboriaed raiui* a volunteer fame of **300 m.n** to **mwoh** 

### theBnsos River againrt Indllrn miden. QOmnl 638. After Texas became a state, the legiel~tun, cent maf pleaa 

### to Waehlngton for protection and ia&errib~. Se8 **3 Camel**  **523, 6** dame1 79, 415, 1051 and 8 @awe1 1489. The Joint Resolution of niwll 12, 1871 Save a mati of one caPbIlls to each of certala peraom for ktlllal; 4 Indians fn mpellirag a mid. **6**Oammel1058. Tlma dot of lamb **13, 1875** **gave**certain relief to pm-eaptorr drLven off thslr holleateada by hostile Indians. **8** ffaemel k79.

One aptem used to keep **dovn**Indian **depreda-**t tlons vaa to

’locate the Indian8 on the Vroatier”

. Hite rettleaetis we= kept well baalcfrom tlw, frontier; and, to **keep the**  frrdiena from comlnej Into the settlement6 **to** trade, trsdl~@ pot&r vem #et UPon the Indian mmw8. Indiaa T ~$8 lrem instmoted, 80 far au possible, to pawent **1138.** dllana from co8klrq into sattle8u8ats. 2 Gam81 T!W irFuption f trem also to endeavor “to **pmwent** an7

sic) on the 

### frontier settlements*. Conpeso WEHI petltloaad in ttm Aot of M?mh 20, 1848 to establlrb a obaln of alllta~ port8 aa a buffer between the rbite irontier 8ettlewnt.s end the 

### tndians. ‘3 Oama 206. Bveatualljr, this oaa done. 1956-57 Paxas Almimic p- 67.

TM **Joint** Reeolution **of** Sqmber 5, **1850** oWla+ed to Uarhi5gten that “wild Indlanr had inlF y t& **%wo ,Tesar**  **fwea 0-r**  

### rtatea, niii.a(l **qnd piwkdw** 

izlontlw rettlemente. Deuaad wu mad. for tkir z? **nl ewid** 

that **ruoh** hmlgmatlon **ba stopmd.**  **3** @anmel

/ ,

Particular thoz%~~fn the sldee of' the settlera uwe 

### the Cmuambe:'aW#io~'.Didldtiii froimthe lie. 'bill lW4ervatlon In CWIiidlWi $dFrit6B"JI,:-nwfblclrah~;~@m madefrequent maids on the Texas frontier settlements. In **1871**a joint reeolution requested Congress to move themat least 150 milea from the fPontler. 6 Qammel1054. A similar resolution passed in 1873. 7 Barnmel681a See also Joint Resolution of 

### 1879 protesting raids emanatiry ~PO#Ft. Sill arid**Ft**DStanton against tkwPanhandle arm.’ **8** @amI 1489. The Jo&at Resolution of April 4, **1871** md congress to OQOB up the Indian Comntry north 

### of T*u to aettlemmt and to organize mai&Into a state.Xon. C. H. 

### Came88 Pue 6 

### Opltilon lo. 43

.,.

This was doubtless in Important step liiadlng to,$he eventual creation of the State of Oklahoma. 6 Our&l 1056.

Throughout thl8 tryltq period,"Ind&d hldr resulted in the aapture of manyprisoners from the.white settlements. The early Texas laws are replete vlth efforts to recover,thoae captlve8, chiefly by authoriglng payment of ransom. 2 Cammel712, 714, 767,$,825; 3 @ammel 1491; 5 Cammel960; 6 @ammel923; 940,

.,”

Tax&t Indian legi8latlon for oome‘keaaoa appeam to have come to an abrupt halt about l@O. Alaoat, nothing is found.Fn the le&lative poredi, I mpeolfi,- oally dealing vlth Indiana f#m that date unt 1 1927 pf, whenthe Texas Senate adopted a IW8Olutlon that a.oalplttee be appointed to investigate the velfam of the Alabama Indiana and report babk at the next aebrion. Senate Journal, 40th Leg., 1st C3. 1927, p. 252. The Committee report, dated Janua3 16, 1929, ir printed In the Senate $ournal, 41st Leg., 3. 1929, p. 760.

The Committee reported that they found the Alabama tribe “and thh Cowhatta Indian8 vho.llve Pith them” in a state 

### of greet negleot and poverty. Their poor economic hate, said ‘the omittee, 

### l l8 l re8ult of the treatment they have 

### raoeived at thd hand of the white. hen who oaae and took from them their lrodr and dertreyed the **gaw** that we8bnoe plentiful in the woe8 betveiti the 8abim **and**Trlnlt and Coushatta Rivw8i $ho M&tow *ioh the Al&bama

Ind an8 I dlalmed,

. .’

.” The repoti raid “lnveatigation8 revealed that this tribe haa rehilered outstand1

“ff rervloer td the 

### Republic **of** Texad end,to the 8tate. Chef Collta andChtef T~lpe were dwaneh frleadr of (kn8pal SamHouston awl.&& the Texas Revolution Badrender&d inValuable.assistanoe to the Savloli **of** T&x48”

. It was **reoited** that though tw weiw citlxene ~Prlther of !?&a8 noF of the Conf’ederao .Alabamar had 2P.imenIn the Confede#di.e Amy~, and aga!I the n in 1918 they volunt&ered in large num because of “the peauliar relation8 P XVI,belw rejected Federal Ciovernmente” p tbj.btire to the by the Act of Cot&~&8 or.Ju~ 2, 1924; .43Stat. 253):,+:‘~ (~nd,&anabecame Amai*io ii UitiseWNon. C. H. cavne6s Pue 7 Opinion Ho. wf 13

“The Alabama and Couahatta Indians of Polk County, nthe report oontinued, “are ward8 of the Matioh; They are alao ward8 of the State. Nogroup of oltlsena can point with more pride to past services rendered t6 the Republic and to the State than can these Red Sklnr of Texia pBig Thicket o It was the Coushatta Indians who arslsted SamHouston la the Revolution. Chief Colita of the Coushatta Tribe slaughtered his OM cattle to feed the 8tarvLng womenand children whovexw fleeing betox% the battle of SanJaointo. It wa6Colita vho c8rried the new8of the victory to the border **of** Loulri8na 8nd brought the tired Texans baok to their homer. The hLstory of this tribe Is rich %naervloe rendezwd to the immortal Rouaton

. . . The ~gsponsibllity of oaring for these citltena resta upon the State and upon the nation.” (Emphaals added) +

The LeglslatUV responded to the awport by plaolag an item in the depaptmental appropri8tlon bill under the heading **of** “Eleeaoeynarg 1nstitut10n8” to cover the salary **of** an agent and.a nume, dental aadF medical work, “50 homes **for** Q88atea” cost1 and 26 miles of fencLng. Act8 41rt Leg., 1 15,000, ,!:', C.S., Ch. 16 at 9. 484. r3- Th8 ~rervation 18 looated in an ama 17 mile8 east of Llvlngrton and 20 mile8 wart of Woodville in an area rlahl timber, madilr available for 

### tb L endowed +Ltb v-in lldlng of 

### maLd-8. R ular approprlationr have bow made for lib8

### trik 

### 01~0 13 9 end 8rw our%wntlf owriod a8 an %ter’~in tbo eDDroD?htiOX& fOF thD l)WSd fOCOh -8 atate HO89ikl8 JVd S-la1 80hoOl8. See lots 54th Leg., R.S0, 1~$&519, at p. 1374'. **The**appropriation **for** the 18t bienaha 1s 

### Itr wording t6!3,607.00 and for the second $ ?,107.00. r@ 

### a patterned after that for **otbw** 

### inrtltotlOM under 88id Board.

Early Te%os laws in manyPe8p*ota parallelad Urrlted State8 Govwnment Act deal1 AOt OfC@RgPtbbs Of JULY 9 1 %?PPO

8 2 tith Indiaab. The

&edrOPa COWII~88~OMr of Indian Affairs under the WarCeparttment

. 4 ‘Stat* 564. The Bureau headed by the commissioner is nowunder the Secretary of the Lntepior. 25 **USCA,**Seas. 1h 2. Federal reservattolons for the Indian8 were areated in manypwtts of the United Water. Somewere created by Act of Con-Eon. c
. H. Cavaeee Page 8 Opinion lo. uw43

green, some by Exeoutive order and someby treaties vlth the tribes. 25 UBCA,Sec. 331. In 1871, Congiww diecontinued recognition of the tribes as Independent nation8 and decreed that no further "treaties" were,,,%obe made with them. 25USCA.Sec. 71.

These reservation8 were located on vacant Federal lands. PrOVi8~On wa8madefor allotment of up to 80 aares of arable or 160 acre8 of grazing land in the reaervation to each Indian. A preliminary patent wa8granted holding the land in trust for the partiaular Indian for 25 yeara, at the end of which time andther patent was i8aUed to him conveying full fee eimple title, glvin(l him the right to sell or dlspoae of the land ltl any wan hersaw fit. 25 u~cA, Sea. 348. At the end or such 25 year trust perlod, the allottee of the land wan*r)be governed by the civil and criminal laws of the State the saineas any other person. 25 USCA, Sec. 349. Over the year8 the Federal Government haa erected schools and hoapitala, given agriaultural assistance and vocational tralnlng and In manyother wags has endeavored to aontribute to the welfare of the various tribes. See, for example, 25 USCA, S&s. 452 and 471.

Very recently, congressional J.eglrlatloa appears to have headed la an entirely newdireatioo. It v8e heralded by the Passage on August 1, 1953 OfBOUe Canctificnt Rerohtloa 108, 67 Stat. B 132, rh%ch etated:

“WhereamIt lr the pollc or Congress, a8 rapidly as po8slble, to makethe Indians within the territorial llmlts of the United States aubjeot to the came Iavs and entitled to the sameprivileges and responslbllitler a8 are applicable to other critlzens of the United States, to end their status a8 wards of the United States, and to grant themall of the rights and prerogatives pertalniag to American cltlzenshlp

. o
.“, it was deolared “to be the 8eoIe of Congress that, at the earliest pO8sible time, all of the Indian tribes and the Lndlvldual members thereof looated within the etates ho? Texas.

. . ahould be freed from Federal aupervlaion and oontrql and from all dlrabllltles and llmFtation8 speoWltally 

### l

ppliaable to 

### Indians

. . . It 1~ further dealaredBon. C, H. Came88 Page 9 Opinion 80. UU**43**

to be the aenae of congreba that, upon the release or such tribes and IndivLdual member8thereof from such, dlaab%llties and ll.mltatlone, all offioeR or the Bureau of Indian Pffalrs In the State8 of s
. . Telcaa.

. . and all other offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs whoae primary purpose was to serve any .Indlan tribe **or** IndLvldual Indian freed from Federal aupervieton should be abollahed.' The Resolution lnetmoted the beontary of the Interior to Investigate and reoowend le~lalatlon to aCcolPpli8h these purpoaea.

This resolution appear8 to be in 

### line with the pblloaophy of HoDorabte Glenn R. Errmone,preeent dom8%8oiooir’ or Indlan AilaIm, whose appointment by the President warmadeduring the 8oath lmpledlately prior to the paaaage kitthe reaolutlon. See “Rota gLvl.ng the Indlana a Chance", br Jame8,Danl.el. Readers Digest, Maroh, 199’7. ,-,. The newpolicy MB Boon put Into erreot and * numberof acts have been passed terminating Federal aupervision over various tribes. 25 USCA, Seas. 564 et req. The Aat or Awust 23, 1954 terminated such augervision **over** "the Alabama and Coushetta 

### Tribes, of TeXaa”

. Pub110 &air 627, 68 Stat. 768, 25 USCASeca. 721 et aeq.cIn **lQe8** the Federal bovernmeat had purchased and taken a 

### deed *ln trurt ior the Alabama and Couahtta Todtiae to **3071**acmw in Polk CountB* adjacent to t&e.1@ 8t Texas” 0 aore @rohiled by the State -In 1 9, ea1az&n(r the reeervation $0 **4351**

### aorta. **batd** Public Law,627 authorisbd the EleereMix7 **0r:tb** Intekior to oonvef the 3071 acre0 to the 8tate 81T&8r “ia trust for the biW8fit of the Indlaaa or the Nabama and Couhatta Tribe8 of Tatal, subject to suoh aaadltiona regardding maoagememtand uae aa the State of T&a8 ay psweoribe and the dlapoaltion of such land!, eliall be subject to approval of a majority of the adult onnplr o? the 

### Alabama#ad Couahatta Tribe8 of Texaa.’ The o~%glnal recorded deed from the Secretary of the Interior la on file in the office of the Texaa~Seoretrrf 

### orbtate. The lrct further provided that Federal Xud%alk atatutar rhoold no longer be applloable to this tr%bOaBd that "the laws 0r the several states shall apply to the trfbo and it8 **member8** in the 6amemannoras, they apply to **other** oitisena **or** 

### perrow tithilrith@r jwt8dtotlo&.?Hen. c
. H. c*vness Pyr 10 OPlalon lo. lIJ.&, ”

-’ .;< I -.

, For a summaryof Public Law627 and its background use the..EououaeCommittee Report In U. 8. Code Congressional andAdministrative l@ews, 1954, pp. 3119 et seq.

In anticipation of the adoption of Public Law 627, the Legislature adopted Senate Conourrent Retioltitloa go. 31 (Acts 1953, R.S. p. 1078) authorizing the Governor to accept on behalf of the State the transfer of the trust, coaditioned~on,consent of the tribe by apprqpriate resolution, and further’ authorltlng the Governor to designate the State agency in which such trust ~rrtonstbllltlo~ Mall re&, vhich agency wallgranted rule @$W.ngpomra in connection with a&h trust.

TheJoint liea,Olutiou of Co ‘:

“& rem OfJuly 14 1956, 70 Stat. 531, 25 USCA, Sec. 30 a, provides. for&a 2 year study by the Bureau of Indian AffaIra of the

‘program for transferring Indian children to pub110 schools.’ TheAct of Augudt 3, 1956, 70 Stat. 986, provides fop vocatlodal training ?or Indlahs between 18,'an4 35 in recognlsed schoola and 3b million dollars a Jiir is authorized to be ap roprkated t~herefor. Publio &a+~~l, a provec?August 6, 4%3 1958,’ 70Stat. 1057, 25 USCAr bea. a, authorize8 the Secretary of the Interior’to aorivry to Indian tribes, bands or groups Federal buildings **aad** improvements located on their lands. .

Wehave,reviewed at some length Federal **and** ” State legislation dealing with Indians beqaure wefeel that your lnquirler, and particularly quemtlon Ho. 1, must be answered in the light of historical perapeottve.

In your first question;’ you aak our 

### oplnloo a# to the legality of past and present legislative appropr%atioaa for the afopvsaid tribe. Weamy61 the 

### oplaloa that such appropr&atlohl ,vcm and **are ’**  valid and oonst~tufiiMm1. The regulatioh aad irristanoe of IndIaa reaervatloaa. .&as been regarded ai a **proper** goveriiBeoto1 fUnot:&bn riaqe the days of the Republic. Indeed 1 matter of survival ltaelf. Indf ', tbai maFly deyti iti ma 8 anr vere placed on reaerva-. tiona, not for their ooavenlenoe hut for the: acctimodatlim, oonvehleuoe and safety o? the wfrlte I”* The Alabama Couabatta reservation Is the Ias+ Nian reaermtlon nmainLw In Texas. Beaauee the Act of 1854 forBida.

Ion. C, H. cavnesa Pa&811 opiaio;r? No. ww43

themto sell 

### the land, they have been In a very real semse under a compulsion to remain with the land. These Indians, nownumbering something over 400, formerly roamed and claimed the vast domain from the Trinity to the Sabine. The State placed them on a reserve of two square miles of thicket.

Weagree with the Senate Committee that theae people, at least until the Legislature remover the restrictiona that hold said reservation intea: and prevent It8 alienation, are wards of the state as well a8 the nation. Beoause of such relationalp the Leglalature has'and had the powar to appropriate funds for the benefit of said reaarvatlon. There is no constl.tutlonaL provision rpeciircally authorlzlng such, but neither is there on8 authorizing a State Orphans Homeor manyother eleemosjnary W~f.tutiona wlllch regularly receive substantial. ,appromlat-

. The vallditg of appropriations to suoh eleemoafrmry institutions would **never** be seriously challenged. **They** ax%but mflectlona **of** the fundamental conaepta of **an** 8nlightened citlaenry whoinsist that this 

### State ahaL1 look after its own. It is a xwcognlzed concept.of' all 

### alvlll~si3 nations to endeavor to foster the welfare of the aborQl.ta8 *hose lands they took, and to whomthey ther8b;r ow8a 8pecles of debt., Our supreme court haa said that '%8 unlveraal rule of aonstructlon la that leglrlattve md exeautive interpz&atloaa of the organi law, aopukroed la and lon& continued

. . . lnlng the validity of 'rex. 383, 

### 40Sew. 26 3?7$ 

### the leglalatune and 8xeoutZve throwut tla8entire b%% ory of Te~4&8

lrphold tk, legalit;f Of th888 

### ap Fopti8tkraao It r0il0~8, thnmr0~, that v8 are 

### orth8 ap Ilion that P 881~ 8~*)not ia violatlbn of Art. 3, Bee. 51 or of 

### Art. 16, Sec. 

### 6, of the Texas Conatltution, vhioh An aubatmae rorbld approprlatlone 

### for private prrporea.

**Under**the Ind%an

### Rear$anlsaflion 

### Actbf 1934, 48 Stat. 

### 984, 25 USCA

### Sea. 476, one 

### or moreIndian tribe8 

### residlag on the samereservation wel?dauthorlsed to adopt ,aaonstitation and bylaws to be approved by the Sear8ttwr of the Intcrrlor. OnAugust 19, 1938 the Seorrtary ap- &roved 

### swh an inafrument theretofore a$opteU by the 

### Alnbua and Coushatta 

### Tribes oi Tamkp~. You have fuPnlrhed w a oopy of this doouatmt. In manyinntaMer
2 z&Jar aotloar. 

### ulni approval 

### by the Ssorstoq of the Intetiot**Hon. C** 

**. H.**  **Cavnars** Page 12 **Oplnlon** 

### Ilo. WI43

**Sea e**  of Public Law

### 627**of 19!54,** **rupn (25**  **USCA,**

### Seo.723,which terminated Pedeml l ~par~laiOn over the tribe, atated th8t “all powera of ‘the deoretbq of the Interior Q6

. to take, revlev, or approve any action under the constitution and bylaw of the 

### Alabm yd8Coushatta Trlbes of Texas approved on August 19,

are termlnated~ Any pove~s aonierred upon the t&e’by its oonatltutloa and bjlava that are lncoaalstent with the proflalona of thia Act are telrla&ted. Such temlnatlon shell riot affect the **power of**  the tribe to take any action under Its conatitutlon **and** wl@va tlrrt la conalatent with Seas. 721-728 of tblr title wltbeat the participation of the SecretaPj

. . . in ouch aatloa’

.

Your second queatioa aaka vhat port&on of l uoh conatltutlon an&bylaws 

### la aonalatent vlth Public Uw 

### 627. It 

### la our opinion that all d? said conatltutfoa and bylava Is la heru~onywith said law and la atll$ la ?Ol?oO except In those instancea vhemin approi?al.o? certain acts by the 8ecretary o? the Interior la calted for. w the apealfic term8 of such Act such approval ir no 1OtigeF neaeaaary and la ao lobger a condition to the validity of 6~ authorleed actlona. Weunderatand ln?omally th&t the Indiana interpreted the Act aa deatrofillg the&r conatltitlon and bylava. we do not 80 interprrt tha Aat but conalder such document In full force exaept aa **above** note4.

Public Law627 oontaiged a pr~vlao tb&t “Luoh trlbb lr authoriCed to **QonYey** to the State at Texm t)M lands purchased for and deeded to the Alabama Indlana” under the 

### 1854

**Act,** Your third iiqulry ark8 three quertlona tith reiennce to thir provlalons

%I11 you?#leaae explain to ua the legal aignlflcaoce of the ten8 ‘authorized to convey’ **aa** tired in the **above** paragraph? I? such conve ante war not Bade, as authoriced, Is th<ate of Twa the rightful trustee of the 1280 aarea of land deeded originally to the Alabama Indiana? Can you detealne that such oonve~nce v8a w&e?* ,

,. . .

Hon. C

. It. Cavness Page 13 Opinion 100. 43

TheAct of 1854 and the orFgFna1 deeds placed title to said land In the tribe of the Alabama Indians. By terms of the Act the land could not be sold. Public Law627 authorized a conveyance to the State to be executed hg the Alabama and Couahatta trlbea. The said Act treats 5he tvo tribes as one trlbt.. In any event, the lacguage of the Act is not compulsory but leaves the matter up to the dlscretlOn of the tribe. It la our understand that such a conveyance was not in fact made. Such being the case, the State is not a trustee of the land, alnce it belongs to the Indiana.

Your fourth queetion inquires as to what right tbe State has to ereat its office building, hospltal’and llvlng quatiezs for vhlte employees on the 1280 acram. While, as wehave stated above, the State had the right to makesuch expenditures, the Placing of such improvements on the lands not ownedby the State aould be proper-

.- 1’ done only with the consent of the Indlan 

### ovnera of &e land express **or** implied **We**think it a fair aaaumptfon thai since these build&a were erected to benefit the Indiana, and were, 

### so far aa weknow, erected vlthout objection, at least an Lmplled consent wa8given.

You state that reaentlg the Rural Electl?lcatlon Adaiinistration cut some timber on the 1280 acres In **order** through the reservation, and your fifth as to what should **be** dons with **pqoeeda**

In the case of 1918, %rPor diem. ?.v.j

. well, (‘hm. Cio..App. Wil~e it 1s true that iathe Court aaldr #a pafl ,oP the realty, yet genera1l.j regardad the owner ma~r

by contrac~t con- #fructively cause a severance, and for the purpose of a $ytgage **or** sale convert Zt into personalty.” clttn(ll authorities. /

Upon the timber belt&gcut, It beoame persoaalt~ &j~~6ould be aold by the tribe, With the **proceed8**to be Wed bJ the Indiana ior tribal, **purposes.** The land ,ie o-4, w the Indians and the State would ownno,interest & t@e.reaeipta from sales of cut timber. Under the oircumstancea, such sale would not violate the statutory ~&Feint MaInat alienating the land.. . .

Hon. C. Ii. Cavness Page 14 Opinion No. WH43

Ownership of the receipts aforesaid foll6ve ownership of

’ the land. In this conneotlon we note that the original conveyanaes in 1854 and 1855 were to the tribe of the AlabamaIndians. TheConetltutlon and bylaws of 

### 1938,

ado tea under GheIndian Reorganleatlon Aot (48 Stat. 9847, appear to have combined the Alabamaa a,rdCousjmttm into one tribe under the nameo? ‘Alabama andCouahatta Tribes of Texas”, and they are so trusted by Congress In Public Law627 aforesaid.

t SUMMARY kurrent and past legialatlve appropriations jfor the benellt of the AlabamaCouahatta ’ ndian Reservation are legal and Bre‘not

‘I:n violation of Art. 3; Seo. 51, and Ai%:

‘.il6, Sec. 6, of the Oonatltutlon of Texas. t? e 1938Constitution andBylaws adopted

.g the “Alabama,and Ooushatta Tribes of ~tiexas” are still in force, ‘exaept that iapprcval by the Secretary of the Interior, ,o? tribal actions is no longer a preirequisite to the valldltg of euch actiona. ‘~ Pub110Lay 627, 83rd Congr&~s, authorizing the Indiana to convey a 1280 acre portion to the Stati, of Texas is permlaslve and, not compulsory. 80 maoh conveyance has been made. This 1280 acre traot still belongs” to the Indians, and the State’18 not a trustee of such lana.~ Since the eald land, belongs to the Indians,, improvements maybe placed thereon by the State only with the consent of eaid ovne~rs. Proceeds of, the sale of timber cut **for** a power line are the property of the Indiana,’ to be used Sol, tribal @n?poaee
APPROVED

: Y+urf~‘ve* truly OPINIORCOMMIti ” WILLWIISON H.Cg;ga;handler, .AttoMxey Qenem1

9 , l52GzihJd 5. Arthur Sandlln Aeaistant ‘,