St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-03-12

claims heretofore accorded 70 said Indians, Or
any Of them, to be forfeited to the United
States.
SEC. 2. And6e It tsrtAe- enacted, That two.
thirds Of the balance remaining uuexpended Of
a1nuities due md payable to said Indians
fortheprescnt fiscal year, not cxeeeding one::hun.
dred thousand dollars, and the further sum Of
one hundred thousand dollars, being two.tl irds
Of the annui,ies 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, cut 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 If the State Of
Minnesota, who. suffered damage by the dep
relations Of the Sisscton, Wahpaton, Medawa-
kanton and Wahpakoo,a 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 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 day Of June next, for
the payment Of which the SAID Commissioners
Interior and to the Secretary Of the Treasury,
duplicate vouchers therefor, certified by them,
SEC. 3. And be 1t further enacted, That, tor
the purpose Of making the proper distribution
ttihe monies hereby appropriated for the pres
ent relief OF such families, and for the purpose
OF asccrtaining 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 th' advice and consent OF the Senate
10 appoint three Commissioners, not more than
one OF whom shall be resident of Minnesota,
who shall take an oath in the manner prescrib-
ed by the laws of the Unite States to fsihful-
ly discharge their duties; they shall enter
tain and hear the complaints lin writing, duly
verified on oath) Of all and every person ag-
grieved by the depreda,ions 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 trath: 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 he es-
tablishcd; and If they have any reason TO
u,
shall have power. and it shall be their duty,
to procure any countcrv ailing proof, to their
knowledge. that the same may be finally re-
jected. The testimony OF the 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 all tho 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 majoii-
~ Of the Commission may select their presid-
ing officer, and shall be competent to decide
all questions arising before them.
Sec. 4. Ind be it further enacted. That
said Commissioners shall hold their first ses-
sion at St. Peters, in tho State of Minnesota,
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 1t further enacted, That said
Commissioners shall receive for their services
and expenses the sum Of two thousand five
hundred dolla,s each. And they are author
lied TO dopu'e proper person 10 summon
witnesses, who shall be entitled to receive his
actual expenses, to be allowed 10y said Com
and the sum Of three dollars per
day for his services. Witnesses subpened
in behalfof the United States shall receive pay
for attendance, not TO exceed the fees allowed
by the laws of Minnesota for witnesses attend
ing justices courts. And, for paying the expcn-
.es Of said Commission, the further sum Of ten
thousand dollars is hereby appropriated out
of the said annuitics in the Treasury Of the
United States. 50 much thereof as may be
necessary to pay the same.
Sec. 6. And be IL further enacted, That the
Secretary Of tho Interior. Immediately after
the passage Of this act, shall cause the same %
be published in four of the newspapers OF the
State Of Minnesota, which. in his opinion. will
give the most publicity to the same among the
people who have suffered by said depredations
and give notice Of the first meeting OF said
the expenses to be paid out Of
the sum appropriated III the next preceding
section.
SEC. 7. And be it further enacted That if
the complainant or auy witness tee,itying be-
fore the 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. Ind be 1t further enacted, That the
said Commissioners may make rules, not in
consistent with this act. prescribing the order
and mode Of presenting, prosecuting and prov
ing said claims before them, which rules shall
be published in one newspaper in the city Of
Saint Paul, and one in Saint Peter. for a,
least two weeks prior to the first session Of
said commission, to be held at Saint Peter. as
directed, IN the fourth section Of this act; and
the expenses of such publication shall be paid
out Of the fund appropriated in the ffth Sec