Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-08-08

intelligence, to advise us Of the
status of your laws in relation
thereto and when and 10 whom it
will become your duty, as princi-
pal chief, under the laws and con-
stitution Of III Cl erokee nation, to
refer our proposition.
4 In response thereto we have the
honor to inform you that the law
under which this commission acts
is the fourteenth section of the act
of congress approved March 2,
1889, which is in these words, to-
wit:
X
This commission was appointed
by the president of tho United
States under that section, as you
have already been informed by a
letter from the secretary Of the in
terror, dated July 9, 1889.
The instructions of the commits
sion in the premises are q follows:
"You will therefore plesent to
the Cherokee nation a proposition
to pay to that nation the sum of
1925 per acre, for all lands COW
cred by the sixteenth article of
the Cherokee treaty Of 1866, lying
west Of the Arkansas river, de-
ducting the sum of s72S, ,3S9.46,
chargable against said lands as
herein set forth.
The Cherokee nation has re-
ceived on account of its lands ly-
ing west of the 96th degree (in ad-
dition to the 81, ,O99, 1874 paid by
the Usage Indians for their lands,
and to which lands the Cherokees
have no right, title or interest),
the following amounts, viz:
Amount appropriated by an item
contained in the act of congress
approved June 16, 1880. (21 stat.
2iS) to be paid into the treasury
of the Cherokee nation out of funds
due said nation for its lands in the
Indian Territory west of the Ar
kansas river, s3O0,OO0.OO.
Amount for the lands assigned
to the Ponca Indians out of the
appropriation made by an item
contained in the act of congress
approved March 3, 1881 (21 stat.
1927, s4s, ,3s9.46.
- Amount appropriated by an item
contained in the act Of congress
approved March 3, 1883, (22 stat.
624), to be paid into the treasury
Of the Cherokee nation out Of the
funds due under appraisemeat for
Cherokee lands west of the Arkan-
sas river, $500, 10000.
Amount appropriated by the act
Of congress approved October 10, |
1888, (25 stat. 609) to pay certain
freedmen and Delaware and Shaw
nee Indians their proportion OF the |
amount appropriated by the act of
congress approved March 3, 1888,
Ca stat. G2I) s75, 100000.
Amount appropriated by an item
contained in ali act approved |
March 2, 1889, public 1859 to en-.
able the secretary Of the interior
to ascertain who are entitled to
share in the distribution Of the
s75,0O0.00 appropriated October
10, 1888, (25 stat. 600 s5,0O0.00.
Total, s72S, ,3S9.4G.
(Note. 1t may not require the
whole Of the s75, 10000 appropri-
ated to pay the freedmen and Del
aware and Shawnee Indians, and
the-appropriation, $4,000 may
not be exhausted in determining
who are entitled TO n share in the
distribution Of the appropriation
Of s75, ,OOO.OO.)
You will proceed first to Table
quah, Indian Territory, and sub
NIT the proposition, as above set
forth, TO the proper authorities Of
the Cherokee nation. Should that
proposition be accepted, and the
Of that nation is then in
session, you will require the prin-
cipal chief to submit the same for
The action of that body; and should
.he legislature be not in session,
you win urge upon the principal
,hief the importance Of convening
he same in extra session, II the
same can be done under the laws
IF that nation, for the purpose If
lcting upon said propositions and
should said proposition be accept
ID and ratified by said legislature,
l duly certified copy Of the pro-
'eodinGs had in reference thereto
should be obtained and submitted
with the report Of your action in
he matter to this department"
This commission, therefore, now
nave the honor 10 tender to the
Cherokee nation tho sum OF s1.25
per acre for all their title, claim
Or interest in and to all that part