St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-04-02
RpDI1lc NO. %.

I I0DIlC NO. ~.
| A = Ao1 for tie relief Of persons for DANA
! n GO sustained By reason Of depredations
and injuries by certain bands Of Sioux Indians.
,WH1RBAa. The unitsd State, heretofore b.
eams hound By treaty stipulations to tho Sis
seton, Wahpaton, Naturalization and Wahpa-
koota bands Of tho Dakota or Sioux Indians,
TO pay largo sums Of money and annuities,
tho greater portion Of which remains unpaid
according to the terms Of said treaty stipula
tons; and whereas during tho past year the
sforssaid bands Of Indians made an improve
ksd, aggressive, and NEST savage war upon
the United States, and massacred large num-
bsr Of men, women, and children within the
State Of Minnesota, and destroyed and dam
aged . large amount Of property, and thereby
have forfeited Ill just claim 10 tho said moneys
and annuitiss to, the United States; and
whereas II 10 just and equitable that the per-
sons whose property has been destroyed or
damaged by the said Indians, or destroyed or
damaged by tho troops Of tho United States in
said war, should DO unidentified in whole or in
part out Of the indebtedness aud annuities 20
forfeited, % Aforesaid; Therefore
Bet enacted BY tie Senate and House Of Rep
rese.tatives Of tie United States of America IN
Congress assembled, That all treaties heretofore
made and entered into by the Sisseton, Wah-
reton, Naturalization, and Wahpakoota bands
Of Sioux or Dakota Indians, OF any Of them
with the United States, are hereby declared to
be abrogated and annulled, 80 far ~ said trea-
ties, or any Of them, purport to impose any
future obligation on the United States, and
al lands and rights Of occupancy within the
State Of Minnesota, and Ill annuities and
claims heretofore accorded to said Indians, or
any Of them, to DO forfeited to the United
States.
A.1 l.. - ,
thirds Of the balance remaining unexpended of
annuities due and payable to said Indians
for the present fiscal year, not exceeding onehun-
dred thousand dollars, and the further sum of
one hundred thousand dollars, being two-tb thirds
Of tho annuities becoming due and payable to
said Indians during the next fiscal year, is
hereby appropriated, and shall be paid from
the Treasury Of the United States, out of any
monies not otherwise appropriated, to the
Commissioners hereinafter provided for, to be
apportioned by them among the heads Of fam
lilies, or, in case Of their decease, among the
surviving members Of families Of the State of
Minnesota, who suffered damage by tho dep
relations Of the Siseeton, Wahpaton, Medawa-
kanton and Wahpakoota bands of Sioux or
Dakota Indians, or by the troops Of the United
States in tho late Indian War in the State of
Minnesots, not exceeding the sum of two hun
dred dollars to any one family, nor the actual
damages Aforesaid, and NJ monies shall be paid
under this section except upon those claims
which shall be presented to said Commission
ers on or before the first dsy of June next, for
the payment Of which the said Commissioners
shall take and return to tho Secretary Of the
Interior and to the Secretary Of the Treasury,
duplicate vouchers therefor, certified by them.
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That, for
the purpose of making the proper distribution
cfthe monies hereby appropriated for the pres
ent relief Of such families, and for the purpose
of ascertaiuing the whole amount Of said dam
ages, and the persons who have suffered the
same, it shall be lawful for the President, by
and with the advice and consent Of the Senate,
to appoint three Commissioners, not more than
one Of whom shall be a resident of Minnesota,
who shall take an oath in the manner prescrib-
ed by the laws Of the United States to faithful
~ discharge their duties they shall enter
tain and hear the complaints lin writing, duly
verified on oath) Of all and every person az
grieved by the depredations Of said Indians,
and by the troops of the United States in said
war: they shall have power to compel the at
tendance Of witnesses, aud to administer the
proper oaths to them to testify 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 IS will give the persons complaining
the fairest opportunity of verifying their claim
with the least expense; they shall take care
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 finally re-
jected. The testimony Of tho witnesses, and
the examination of the complainant, shall be
reduced to writing, signed and certified by
them, respectively, snd> shall, with the petit
ton and oil the papers relating to each case,
with the finding Of the commission, be trans
mitted to the Secretary Of the Interior for his
approval, rejection, or modification, to be by
him laid before the next Congress. A MAORI
~ Of tho Commission may select their presid-
ing officer, and shall be competent to decide
oil questisas arising before them.
SEC. 4. Ind Be It further enacted, That
said Commissioners shall hold their first ses-
sion 1t st. Peters, in the State of Minnesota,
o. er sefore the first day Of April next, for tho
| hearing 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 Commissioners shall make and return
their finding, and all the papers relating there
to, on or before the first day Of December next.
! SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That said
Commissioners shall receive for their services
and expenses tho sum of two thousand five
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
missioners, and tho sum of three dollars per
day for his services. Witnesses subpened
in behalf of the United States shall receive pay
for attendance, not to exceed the fees allowed
J by the laws Of Minnesota for witnesses attend
ing Justices courts. And, for paying the expen-
ses of said Commission, the further sum Of ten