The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-03-01
THE BLAOKFOOT OBSERVATION.
Text of the Bill Introduced by Major Ma
ginnis, Reducing the Reservatio
to Proper Bounds.

| W iopeI DOuuuSs
| The following bill, introduced by Delegate
Maginnis, has been read twice and referred
to the Committee on Indian Affairs:
A BILL to provide permanent reservations
for the Pegan, ood, Backfeet, Assina-
bone, and Grcs Ventre tribes of Indians,
and for other purposes.
| WHEREAS the Congress of the United
States did, on the fifteenth day of April.
ammo Domini eigh teen hundred and seventy
four, pass an acts providing for temporary
! terms as follows, to-wit "Tnat the follow
| ing described tract of country in the Terri
| tory Of Montana be, and the same is hereby,
set apart for the use and occupation of the
Gros Ventres, Piegan, Blood, Blackeet, Riv-
| er Crow, and such other Indians a. the Pres
| ident may, from time to time, see fit to locate
| thereon, namely: Commencing at The north
west corner of the errtory of Dakota, be-
| ing the intersection of the forty ninth paral-
| lei of north latitude, and the one hundred
| IN fourth meridian of west longitude then
south to the south bank of the Missouri
River thence up and along the south bank
| OF said river to point opposite the mouth OF
the Marias's River thence along the main
channel of the Marias River to B rch Greek
thence up the main channel IF Birch Greek
to its source thence west to the summit of
the main chain of the Rocky Mount .ins
thence along the summit of the Rocky Mouu-
| tains to the northern boundary Of Montana;
thence along said northern boundary to the
place of beginning;' and
WHEREAS as the River Crow tribe has
since been removed to the general reservation
of the Grow Nation, and the AssiDaooines
have been consolidated with the Gros Ventres
| at Fort Belknap Agency, AID several bands
of Sioux have been settled on the EASTERN
portion Of said reservation, it is now neces-
| sary to modify said act, because conflicts
arise between the tribes as to their rigbte,
| and it is necessary to segregate and define the
i future possession of each and, Furthermore,
as the buffalo and other game for which this
| region was noted are now practically extinct
| therein, and no longer furnish subsistence
| for these tribes, it has become necessary III t
| they should be permanently settled some
| dt fned tract and assisted to become selt-sup-
porting by other means than the chase
Therefore
Be 1t enacted By tie Senate and House Of
Representatives. Of he U.5tzd States Of Anser-
tca IN Congress assembled, That all that poi-
tiun of the territory de> crihed ia the act ot
April fifteenth, anno D, IN ri eighteen hund-
red ard seventy four, whict, lies west of the
one hundred and twelfth meridian of west
longitude shall be assign d and granted To the
Piegan, Blond, and Biackeet tribes of the
BlscKfeet N4'ion and thai the President Of
| The United States will cause the land to BE-
patented either in whole or in severalty t. the
lpdians Of such tribes as Congress may here
after direct.
| SEQ 2 That there is hereby assigned and
granted to the various bands of Gros Ven re
and Assinaboine Indians under charge OF the
Fort Belknap Agency all tnat portion OF the
tract or territory reserved by said act of
| April fifteenth, ammo D mini eighteen hunl-
red and seventy four, described rs follows,
,o-wit: Beginning at point ON the northern
| boundary line of the United States where
such boundary line is crossed by a stream
known as the West FOX Of the Two Forks
of Milk River thence following the main
channel of said stream sou heaste,ly 10 its
confluence with Milk River. Montana Terri
tory thence easterly down the main channel
| of Milk River to The mouth Of Ftencbma n y
Greek thence northerly mp the main cham
nel of Frenchma,'s Greek to the crossing of
! the international boundary-ine and thence
/ west along said boundary line to the place OF
| beginning. Aud the lands within these lines
are assigned and grant to said GrOs Venlre
| and Assinabone Indians, and may be pateD
| ed to them a, whole or in seyeraty by tie
| President, as Congress may direct.
SEC 8. That all The remaining portion OF
said territory reserved from settlement BY
| the act of April fifteenth, ammo Domin eight
teen hundred and sevtnt. -four, are het ely
restored to the public domain, and open 10
exploration. occupation, and settlement un-
Prooided, TEat the P, esifeut may, by procla-
nation, reserve any portion OF the territory
mentioned lying west Of the eastern boun-
Diary of Montana, east of Porcupine Creek,