St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-03-26
eUDI1o 10. 20.


80 RUDxio no. 70. r--
A \ Aot lsr Ne rsliss of persons fbr dana
n g. sustained BY reason Of depreciation
and injuries BY certain bands Of Sioux Indians
WnsaRAs, Tho United statss heretofore b.
came heuad by treaty stipalations g tie Sig
seton, Wshpaton, Medawakanton and Wahpa,
koota bands Of the Dakota or Sioux Indians
to pay large sums Of money and aunuities
. tho greater portion Of which remains unpaid
! according to the terms Of said treaty stipul.
tions; and whereas during the past year the
aforesaid bands 81 Indians made An Improve.
ksd, aggressive, and NEST savage war upon
tho United States, and massacred 1 large num-
ber OF men, women, and children within the
State Of Minnesota, and destroyed and dam
ssed large amount Of property, and thereby
have forfeited oil just claim 10 the said moneys
and annuities to the. United States; and
whereas It Is just and equitable that the per-
sons whose property has been destroyed or
damaged by the troops Of the United States in
part out of the indebtedness aud annuities 10
forfeited, ~ Aforesaid; Therefore
Bet enacted By the Senate and House Of Rep
'e.sntatives Of the United States Of An.eriea in
Congress asse,nbled, That Ill treaties heretofore
made and entered into by the Sisseton, Wah-
: etou, Medawskanton, and Wahpakoota bands
Of Sioux or Dakota Indians, Or any Of them
with the United states, are hereby declared to
b abrogated and annulled, 80 far - said trea-
ties, or any Of them, purport to impose any
future obligation on the United States, and
Ill lands and rights a. Occupancy within the
State Of Minnesota, and Ill annuities and
claims heretofore accorded to said Indians, or
any Of them, to DO forfeited to tho United
States. ) :"
sro. 2. And6e Il further enacted, That two
thirds Of tho balance remaining unexpended Of
snnuities 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, beinK two thirds
Of the annuities becoming due and payable to
said Indians during the next fiscal year, il
hereby appropriated, and shall be paid from
the Treasury Of the United States, out Of any
monies not otherwise appropriated, to tho
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 the dep
ksnton and Wahpakoota 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 hun
dred dollars to any one family, nor tho 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 d.y 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. 3. And be It further enacted, That, for
the purpose Of making the proper distribution
ofthe monies hereby appropriated for the pres
of sscertaiuing the whole amount Of said dam
ages, and the persons who have suffered the
same, it. shall be lawful for tho President, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
to appoint three Commissioners, not more than
one Of whom shall be resident Of Minnesota,
who shall take IN oath ii the manner prescrib-
ed BY the laws Of tho United States to faithful
y discharge their duties; they shall enter
tain and hear the complaints lin writing, duly
verified on oath) Of all and every person az |
grisved 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, and to administer the |
proper oaths to them to testify the truth; they |
examined and CROSS examined Cd oath, to be |
administered by them, as to their said claim {; /
they shall hold their sessions at such times and
places IS viii give the persons complaining !
the fairest opportunity Of verifying their claim
with the least expense; they shsll take care !
that no unjust or fictitious claim shall be es- |
tablishsd; 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 ssmo may be finally re-
jected. The testimony Of thu witnesses, and
the examination Of the complainant, shall be |
reduced to writing, signed and certified by |
them, respectively, sud shall, with the petit !
With tho 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 the Commission may select their presid- |
ing officer, and shall be competent to decide |
al questions arising before them.
SIC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
said Commissioners shall hold their first ses-
sion 1t St. Peters, in tho State Of Minnesota,
on or before the first day Of April next, for the
hearing Of claimants, and, that all CLAIMS
must be presented to said Commissioners on
or before the first day Of September next, or
said Commissioners shall make and return
their finding, and al the papers relating there
to, on or before the first. day Of December next.
SEC. s. And be It further enacted, That said
Commissioners shall receive for their services
and expenses the sum of two thousand Eve
hundred dollars each. And they are author
ICED to deputs . proper person to summon
witnesses, who shall be entitled to receive his
actual expenses, to DO allowed by said Com
missioners, and the sum of three dollars per
day for his services. Witnesses subpoened
in behalf Of the United States shall receive pay
for attendance, not 10 exceed tho fees allowed
by the laws Of Minnesota for witnesses attend
ing Justices courts. And, for paying thee xpen-
Ses of said Commission, the further sum Of ten
thousand dollars is hereby appropriated, out
Of tho said annuities in the Treasury Of tho
United States, or 20 much thereof q may DO
necessary to pay tho same. :,