Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-06-13

tne Outcu CthttS " iai'Hi""y u'SS' %
their duties they shall entertain and hear the
complaints lin writing, duly verified on oath)
of all and every person aggrieved by the dep
relations Of said Indians, and by the troops
of the United States in said war; they shall
have power to compel the attendance OF wit
nesses. and to administer the proper oaths to
them to testify the truth; they shall have
the power TO compel the claimants to be ex-
amined and cross-examined on oath, to be
administered by them, as to their said claim
they shall hold their sessions ut 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
established 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-
iected. The testimony of the witnesses and
the examination of the complaint shall be re-
duced 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
tho 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 competant to decide all questions
arising beforethem.
Sec. 4. and be 1t further enacted, That
said commissioners shall hold their first session
at Saint Peters, in the State of Minnesota, on
or before the first day April next, for the
hearing of claimants, and that all claims must
| I hn.
fore 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 thereto,
on or before the first day of December next.
See. 5. And be 1t further enacted, That
said commissioners shall receive for their SER
vices and expenses the sum OF two thousand
five hundred dollars each. And they are
authorized TO dcpute a proper person to sum-
mon witnesses, who shall be entitled to re-
ceive his actual expenses. to be allowed by
said commissioners, and the sum of three dol
lars per dav for his services. Witnesses sub
pnnaed in behalf of the United States shall
receive pay for attendance not to exceed the
fees allowed by the laws of Minnesota for
witnesses attending justices courts. And,
for paying the expenses of said commissions
the further sum Of ten thousand dollars is
hereby appropriated out of the said annuities
in the Treasury of the United States, or so
much thereof as may be necessary to pay the
same.
See. G. And be At further enacted, That
the Secretary of the Interior. immediately
after the passage of the act. shall cause the
same to be published in fourot the newspapers
of the State of Minnesota which, in his Opn-
ion, will give the most publicity to the same
among the people who have suffered by said
depredations, aud give notice of the first meet
ing of said commissioners, tho expenses to
be- paid out of the sum appropriated in the
next preceding section.
Sec. Z. And be 1t further enacted, That
if the complainant, or any witness testifying
before 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 laws OF
the United States for that offence
Sec. 8. And be 1t further enacted, That
the said commissioners may make rules, not
inconsistent with this act, prescribing the
order and mode of presenting, prosecuting,
and proving said claims before them, which
rules shall be published in one newspaper i'll
the city of Saint Paul and one in Saint Peters
for at least two weeks prior to the first ses-
sion of said commission, to be held at Saint
Peters as directed in the fourth section Of this
act and tho expenses of such publications
shall bs paid out of the fund appropriated in
the fifth section of this net.
Sec. 8. And be It further enacted, That
the Secretary of the Interior is hereby author
ized to set apart Of the public lands. not
otherwise appropriated, eight acres in several.
ty to each individual Of tho before-named
bands who exerted himself in rescuing the
whites from the late massacre Of said Indians.
The land so set apart shall not be subject to
any tax, forfeiture, or snle by process of law.
and shall not be aliened or devised, except
by the consent of the President of tho United
States, but shall be an inheritance to said In
dams and their heirs forever.
Sec. 10. And be 1t further enacted. That
said commissioners, before entering upon the
discharge of their duties as such, shall give
bonds in the usual form to the United States,
in the sum of twenty thousand dollars each,
with good and sufficient security, to be ap.
proved by the Secretary Of the Treasury,
faithfully to discharge their duties as such,
and to account for any money which may
come into their hands.
APPROVED, February 1c, 1863.
- An editor down East wants to know
" what is to become of the women if muslin
goes up much higher?" Our devil thinks