Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-07-10
GENERAL NATunr-No. 231

of the said act to canal boats or boats en-
ployed on the internal water or canals OF
any State and all such boats, excepting
only such as are provided with sails or pro
polling machinery of their own adapted 10
lake or cOatwise nav igatiun, aud excepting
such as are employed in trade with the
CauadaS. shall he exempt from the proVis-
ions Of the said act. and from the prvment
of all customs and other fees under any
act of Congress.
Approved, April IS, 1874.
GENERAL NATuRE-No. 2i.1
AN ACT to establish the Bismarck land
district in the Territory Of Dakota.
BE il enacted bU the Senate and House ~
Representatives. NJ the Uutcd States "
Imcricd IN Compress assembled, That AL
that portion of Dakota Territory lying
north of the seventh standard parallel aud
west Of the ninth guide meridian be, and
the same is hereby, created into separate
hand district, tu he known ~ the BiSniirck
district and the land Office for sad dis
trict shall be located ut the town al Bis
marck, where the North Pacific Railroad
mlcrsccts the Missouri River.
SEC. =. That Il register and receiver
Sh al be appointed Tor said district Had OF
ticr, who shall Ic governed by the same
laws and receive the same compensation H.
presc ibed for similar officers ia the other
land districts of said Territory.
Approved, April p, ISL
AN ACT relative to private contracts or
agreements made with indians prior to
May twenty-i ST., eighteen hundred and
seNeutN-twO.
BE ii enacted JV Tie Senate and HOUsc of
Representatives. Of tie EHncd Ndtes Of
1Htertcd IN Congress assembled, That here
after il shall not be lawful for any United
States officer. or other person under lis en-
pluy or lntrol, to recognize the binding
force or legality, or in any manner sustain
or enforce or counsel, or give any AID or
assistance tn sustain or enforce, any con
tract or agreement made toy any person or
persons, or corporation, with any band,
tribe, or nation of Indians. or iudividu i
Indian or Indians. not citizen of The Unit
ed States, entered into prior 10 the date Of
the act of Congress entitled AN act regu-
latiug the mode of making private con
tracts with Indians approved May twen-
ty-first, eighteen hundred and seVeniy-two,
for the payment or delivery OF -ny money
or other thing of value, in present or pro-
spectve, or for the granting or procuring
any privilege to him OI her, or any other
person or persons, or corporation, in con
sideratOu OF services for. or adVaucementS
made to. said Indians relative to their lands,
or to any claim growing out of or in refer
euce to annuitlrs, inStalmeutS, or other
moneys. claims, demand, or thing under
laws or treaties with the United States, oroi-
fetal acts of any OttiCerthereOi, Ur IN any way
I
States, unless such contract or agreement
was reduced TO writing and duly signed 10y
the parties in interest thereto at the time it
was entered into and fully made known tu
the parties at the time the contract was
signed, and then not until such original
Wfitten contract shall first have been pre-
scented to and examined by the Secretary
OF the Interior aud the Commissioner OF
Indian Affairs, and these facts by them
sevcrally endorsed thereon, and a copy Of
said contract and OF any assignments that
may have been made thereon duly entered
of record in the Office of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs.
SEC =. That in addition thereto there
snail also be filed in said Commissioners
Office, and retained therein as official pa
pers, and be examined 10y said Commission
er and Secretary, and that fact Endorsed on
them, the following statement of facts
touching each and all such contracts and
agreements SO presented which statements
shall be sworn to specially by all and sew
orally the person or persons claiming inter-
est in and seeking the support and enforce
ment OF such contract or agreement, and
not by agent or attorney: First, that the
writing presented for examination and rec
ord, as provided for in the first section of
this act, and purporting In he the original
| contract or agreement, is in fact such, and
| that ii was entered into and reduced to
| writing at the date and for the purposes it
| secondly, such sworn statement shall give
particularly the names Of the real parties
in interest in the original contract or agree
ment, naming them if not named in the
written contract or agreement, and if Ell
| Their of the contracting parties is "A band,
| tribe, or nation of Indians, or n corpora
ton or firm, the name of the person, Off
| Ger or agent contracting in their behalf, to-
| gether with his authority Tor so doing, shall
| be specially stated; thirdly, particular
| statement Of all and singular the services
| rendered or the thing or things done under
| such contract or agreement prior to said fill
| ing, with those things 10 be done or rem
| dered, together with Il particular statement
| of any and all moneys paid or advanced by
| either party under such contract or agree
ment, giving in all cases the time, place,
| and real value of services render OF
thing or things done, or the kind and man
ner of payment, whether in money, prop
! erty, or credits, mp To- the date Of the filing
| of the said sworn statement; fourth
| ly, state specifically whether the Origi-
mai contract or agreement had been sub
| united to any Secretary of the Inferior,
| Commissioner of Indian Affairs, superin-
| tendent of Indian affairs, Indian agent,
! commissioner, or other person having
| official control of OT connection with Indian
| affairs, giving the time when, place where,
| and person by name to whom such sub
| mission was made, and whether by said
| officer Endorsed or moi, or whether any
| such officer was cOaniZant of such contract
| or agreement having been made, though
not submitted to him for approval.
SEC. 3. That the Secretary or Commits
| sioner of Indian Affairs is hereby en-
| powered to require, in writing, any adj
dilional facts or proofs that may be neces-
| sary to aid in determining the true charac-
| ter Of the contract or agreement, or assign
| ment thereof.
SEC. i. That no such contract or agree
| employee OF the United States until the
| Secretary of the Interior shall, after full
| consideration Of any such contract or agree
| ment, together with the proofs and papers
| in this act required to he filed, and such as
| the Secretary of the Interior or Commits
! s!OEer of Indian Affairs may require in ad-
dillon thereto, the Secretary of the Interior
| shall consider to he Just and reasonable.
| and not tainted with fraud, and not eXOr-
bitant in its demands: ProGided, That the
| Secretary Of the Interior shall in all ca ses
| enter, in writing, on such original contract,
on the record in the office of the Commits
| siOner of Indian Affairs wherein such orig
| inal contract is recorded, an official stale
| ment, showing that the contract or agree
| ment and proofs have been filed in accord
| ance with the provisions of this act and
| considered hv him, and in his opinion said
| contract or agreement or assignments
thereof are not eXorbitant and not lrandu-
lent, and that they are just, the sane shall
be valid.
Buff, in the opinion ofthe Secretary @ f the
| Interior, such contract or agreement, or the
| assignment thereof, is fraudulent or eXor-
bitant, he shall officially enter his rejection,
in writing, upon the record of such con-
tract or agreement, and they shall not he
considered of binding force by any officer
or employee of the United States.
SEC. .. That it is hereby made the duty
of the Secretary of the Interior to cause an
| iuvp9tiuatipn a he made of all OXistiup
| contracts or agreements. within the pur-
| Wow of this net now ON file in his Office. or