Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-23


nuities, the greater portion of which remains
unpaid according to the terms of said treaty
stipulations; and whereas during the past
year the aforesaid bands of Indians made an
unprovoked, aggressive, and most savage war
upon the United States, and massacred a large
number of men, women and children within
the state of Minnesota, and thereby have for
teited all just claim to the said moneys and
annuities to the United States; and whereas
it is just and equitable that the persons whose
property has been destroyed or damaged by
the said Indians, OF destroyed or damaged by
the troops of the United States in said war,
should be Unidentified in whole or in part out
of the Indebtedness and annuities so forfeited
as aforesaid: Therefore
Be it enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States of Amer
lea in congress assembled, that all treaties
heretofore made and entered into by the Sis
seton, Wahpaton. Medawakanton, and Wah-
pakoota bands of Sioux or Dakota Indians, or
any of them, with the United States, are
hereby declared to be abrOgated and annuled
so far as said treaties or any of them purport
to impose any futsre obligation on the United
States, and all lands and rights of occupancy
within the state of Minnesota, and all annui-
ties and claims heretofore accorded to said
Indians, or any of them, to be forfeited to the
United States.
See. 2. And be it further enacted, that two
thirds OF the balance remaining unexpended
OF annuities due and payable to said Indians
Tor the present fiscal year, not exceeding one
hundred thousand dollars, and the further
sum of one hundred thousand dollars being
two-thirds of the annuities becoming due and
payable to said Indians during the next fiscal
wear hprnhV aud cho bo mid
from the treasury of the United States, out of
any moneys not otherwise appropriated, to
the commissioners hereinafter provided for,
to be apportioned by them among the heads
OF families, or, in case of their Nlecease,
among the surviving members of families of
the state of Minnesota who suffered damage
by the depredatons Of the Ssseton, Wahpa-
ton, Medawakanton and Wa h ]pakoota bands
OF Sioux or Dakota Indians, or by the troops
OF the United States in the late Indian war in
the state of Minnesota. not exceeding the sum
OF two hundred dollars to any one family, nor
the actual damages aforesaid, and no moneys
shall be paid under this section except upon
those claims which shall be presented to said
commissioners on or before the first day of
June next, for the payment of which the said
commissioners shall take and return to the
secretary of the interior and to the secretary
OF the treasury duplicate vouchers therefor,
certified by them.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, that for
the purpose of making the proper distribution
Of the moneys hereby appropriated for the
present relief of such families, and for the
purpose Of ascertaining the whole amount of
said damages and the persons who have suf-
fered the same, it shall be lawful for the pres
ident, by and with the advice and consent of
flnn 70
not more than one of whom shall be a resident
of Minnesota, who shall take an oath in the
manner prescribed by the laws of the United
States, to faithfully discharge their duties &;
they shall entertain and hear the complaints
Gin writing, duly verified on OATH of all and
every person aggrieved by the depredations
of said Indians, and by the troops of the
United States il said war; they shall have
power to compel the attendance of witnesses,
and to administer the proper oaths to them to
testify to the truth; they shall have power to
compel the claimants to be examined and
cross examined on oath, to be administered
by them, as to their said claim; they shall
hold their sessions at such times and places
as will give the persons complaining the
fairest opportunity of verifying their claim
with the least expense; they shall take care
that no unjust or fictitious claim shall be es-
tablished; and if they have any reason to
suppose that any such CLAIM is presented,
they shall have power, and it shall be their
duty, to procure any countervailing proof, to
their knowledge, that the same may be final
ly rejected The testimony of the witnesses
and the examination of the complainant shall
be reduced to writing, signed and certified
by them, respectively, and shall, with the
petition and all the papers relating to each
case, with the finding of the commission, be
transmitted to the secretary of the interior
for his approval, rejection, or modification,
to be by him laid before the next congress.
A majority of the commission may select
their presiding officer, and shall be compe-
tent to decide all questions arising before
them.
Sect. 4. And be it further enacted, that said
commissioners shall hold their first session at
Saint Peters, in the state of Minnesota, on or
before the first day of April next, for the hear
ing of claimants, and that all claims must be
presented to said commissioners on or before
the first day of September next, or the same
shall not be heard by them; and the said COM
missioners shall make and return their find
ing, and all the papers relating thereto, on or
before the first day of December next
Sect. 5. And be it further enacted, that said
commissioners shall receive for their services
anu eA peuSeS tne sum OF TWO lUOuSd1u I'VE
hundred dollars each. And they are author
lied to depute proper person to summon
witnesses, who shall be entitled to receive his
actual expenses, to be allowed by said com
mssiOners, and the sum of three dollars per
day for his services. Witnesses subpGnaed
in behalf of the United States shall receive
pay for attendance not to exceed the fees al
lowed by the laws of Minnesota for witnesses
attending Justices courts. And, for paying
the expenses of said commission, the further
sum of ten thousand dollars is hereby appro
priated out of the said annuities in the treasu-
ry of the United States, or so much thereof as
may be necessary to pay the same.
Sect. 6. And be it further enacted, that the
secretary of the interior, Immediately after
the passage of this act, shall cause the same
to be published in four of the newspapers of
the state of Minnesota which, in hissOpinion,
will give the most publicity to the same among
the people who have suffered by said depreda
tons, and give notice of the first meeting of
said commissioners, the expenses to he paid
out of the sum appropriated in the next pre-
ceding section.
Sect Z. And be it further enacted, That if
the complainant, or any witness testifying be-
fore SAID commissioners, shall be guilty of
perjury, upon conviction thereof in the proper
court of the United States, he shall suffer the
pains and penalties prescribed by the United
States for that offence.
Sect. s. And be it further enacted, That the
said commissioners may make rules, not in
consistent with this act, prescribing the order
and mode of presenting, prosecuting, and