Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/221/286/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 16:12:19+00:00

Document:
Argued November 30 and December 1 and 2, 1910.
Ordered for reargument January 23, 1911.
Reargued March 1 and 2, 1911.
Messrs. W. L. Sturdevant, M. L. Mott, and W. A. Brigham for plaintiff in error on original argument.
Messrs. George S. Ramsey, S. T. Bledsoe, Evans Browne, C. L. Thomas, L. J. Roach, Chris M. Bradley, and R. C. Allen for defendants in error.
Messrs. Wade H. Ellis and Henry E. Colton for the United States.
According to the law of descent and distribution, which had been put in force in the Indian territory, Marchie Tiger was the sole heir at law of his deceased brother and sisters. 32 Stat. at L. 500, chap. 1323; Mansfield's Dig. Arkansas Stat. chap. 49, § 2522.
On August 8, 1907, Marchie Tiger sold and conveyed by warranty deed to the defendant in error the Western Investment Company certain of the said lands for the sum of $2,000, which was paid by the company. On July 1, 1907, Marchie Tiger sold and conveyed by warranty deed certain other of said lands to the Coweta Realty Company, and likewise sold and conveyed the same, in the same manner, on July 26, 1907, on August 8, 1907, and on August 13, 1907, to the Coweta Realty Company; the consideration agreed to be paid by the company was $3,000, of which $558 was paid. The plaintiff in error offered to return the amounts paid by the respective purchasers, and made tender thereof, which was refused, and this suit is brought to have the deeds in question canceled, and the claim set aside as a cloud upon plaintiff's title.
An answer to these questions requires a consideration of certain treaties and legislation concerning title to these lands. In 1833 7 Stat. at L. 417, the United States made a treaty with the Creek nation of Indians, in consideration of which they were to move to a new country west of the Missippi, and to surrender all the lands held by them east of the Mississippi, and the United States agreed to convey to them a tract of land comprising what is now a part of the state of Oklahoma.
Section 16 of the act provided for the appointment of commissioners to enter upon negotiations with the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole Nations, looking to the extinguishment of the tribal title to lands in the territory held by the nations or tribes, whether by cession of the same, or some part thereof, to the United States, or by allotment and division thereof in severalty among the Indians of such nations or tribes, or by such other method as may be agreed upon by such nations or tribes with the United States, with a view to such adjustment on the basis of justice and equity as might, with the consent of such nations or tribes, so far as might be necessary, be requisite and suitable to enable the ultimate creation of a state or states of the Union, which shall embrace the lands within the Indian territory.
It is thus apparent that the five-year limitation created by § 16 of the act of 1902, upon the alienation of lands by the Creek Indians, had expired when the conveyances in controversy were made.
'Sec. 22. That the adult heirs of any deceased Indian of either of the Five Civilized Tribes whose selection has been made, or to whom a deed or patent has been issued for his or her share of the land of the tribe to which he or she belongs or belonged, may sell and convey the lands inherited from such decedent; and if there be both adult and minor heirs of such decedent, then such minors may join in a sale of such lands by a guardian duly appointed by the proper United States court for the Indian territory; and in case of the organization of a state or territory, then by a proper court of the county in which said minor or minors may reside, or in which Sec. 28 of the act provides for the continuance of the tribal governments of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole tribes or nations, but places certain restrictions upon their right of legislation, making the same subject to the approval of the President of the United States.
It is the contention of the defendants in error that this section, when read in connection with § 16 of the act of 1902, above quoted, has the effect to require conveyances made by full-blood Indian heirs during the period from the passage of the act of which §22 is a part, until the expiration of the five years period named in § 16, to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior, but does not interfere with the capacity of such full-blood Indian heirs to convey the inherited lands after the expiration of the five years. This was the view entertained by the supreme court of Oklahoma in deciding this case.
In support of that view, it is insisted that the last sentence of § 22 must be read as a proviso, limiting and qualifying that which has gone before in the same section; that without this proviso the first part of the section would enable adult heirs of full blood to convey their inherited lands notwithstanding the five years limitation provided in § 16 had not expired, and that the real purpose of this section was to place such full-blood Indian heirs under the protection of the Secretary of the Interior, so far as his approval was required, until the expiration of the five-year period named in § 16.
'All lands allotted to the members of said tribes, except such land as is set aside to each for a homestead as herein provided, shall be alienable after issuance of patent as follows: One fourth in acreage in one year, one fourth in acreage in three years, and the balance in five years,in each case from date of patent; provided, that such land shall not be alienable by the allottee or his heirs at any time before the expiration of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribal governments for less than its appraised value.' Act of July 1, 1902, 32 Stat. at L. 641, 643, chap. 1362.
In this case we are concerned with the construction of the act of April 26, 1906, so far as it involves the Creeks, and other statutes are mentioned with a view to aid in the construction of that act. It is the contention of the plaintiff in error that the act of April 26, 1906, repealed all former legislation upon the subject, and intended to provide, as to full-blood Indians of the tribes, new and important protection in the disposition of their landed interests, and that, as the act provides that previous inconsistent legislation shall be repealed, so far as the same subjects are covered in the new act it was intended to give additional protection to full-blood Indians, and to prevent them from being deprived without adequate consideration of their lands and holdings; and that the real purpose of § 22, in so far as the adult heirs of the deceased Indians of the five civilized tribes are concerned, is to subject conveyances of such lands, when made by full-blood Indians, to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.
The sections of the act of April 26, 1906, under consideration, show a comprehensive system of protection as to such Indians. Under § 19 they are not permitted to alienate, sell, dispose of, or encumber allotted lands within twenty-five years unless Congress otherwise provides. The leasing of their lands, other than homesteads, for more than one year, may be made under rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior. And in case of the inability of a full-blood Indian, already owning a homestead, to work or farm the same, the Secretary may authorize the leasing of such homestead.
Under § 20, leases and rental contracts of full-blood Indians, with certain exceptions, are required to be in writing, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Under § 23, authority is given 'to all persons of lawful age and sound mind to devise and bequeath all his estate, real and personal, and all interest therein;' but no will of a full-blood Indian, devising real estate, and disinheriting parent, wife, spouse, or children of a full-blood Indian, is valid until acknowledged before and approved by a judge of a United States court in the territory, or by the United States commissioner.
Coming now to § 22, the first part of that section gives the adult heirs of any deceased Indian of either of the Five Civilized Tribes power to sell and convey the inherited lands named, with certain provisions as to joining minor heirs by guardians in such sales. This part of the statute would enable full-blood Indians, as well as others, to convey such lands as adult heirs of any deceased Indian, etc., but the last sentence of the section requires the conveyance made under this provision, that is, conveyances made by adult heirs of the character named in the first part of the section, when fullblood Indians, to be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. This construction is in harmony with the other provisions of the act, and gives due effect to all the parts of § 22. True, it has the effect to extend the requirement of the approval of the Secretary of the Interior as to full-blood Indians beyond the terms prescribed in § 16 of the act of 1902, and this, we think, was the purpose of Congress, which is emphasized in § 29 of the act, wherein all previous inconsistent acts and parts of acts are repealed.
As to the argument that the last sentence of § 22 is to be construed as a proviso intended to limit the generality of the previous part of the section, and not to affect prior legislation upon the subject, it may be observed: the sentence does not take the ordinary character of a proviso and is not introduced as such; and, even if regarded as a proviso, it is well-known that independent legislation is frequently enacted by Congress under the guise of a proviso. Interstate Commerce Commission v. Baird, 194 U. s. 25, 36, 48 L. ed. 860, 865, 24 Sup. Ct. Rep. 563, and previous cases in this court therein cited.
Had Congress intended not to interfere with full-blood Indian heirs in their right to make conveyances after the expiration of the five years named in § 16 of the act of 1902, it would have been easy to have said so, and some reference would probably have been made to the prior legislation. No reference is made to the prior legislation, but it is broadly enacted that all conveyances of the character named in § 22, made by heirs of full-blood Indians, shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.
'Sec. 8. That section 23 of the act entitled, 'An Act to Provide for the Final Disposition of the Affairs of the Five civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, and for Other Purposes,' approved April 26th, 1906, is hereby amended by adding, at the end of said section the words, 'or a judge of a county court of the state of Oklahoma."
When several acts of Congress are passed, touching the same subject-matter, subsequent legislation may be considered to assist in the interpretation of prior legislation upon the same subject. Cope v. Cope, 137 U. S. 682, 34 L. ed. 832, 11 Sup. Ct. Rep. 222; United States v. Freeman, 3 How. 556, 11 L. ed. 548.
We cannot believe that it was the intention of Congress, in view of the legislation which we have quoted, to leave untouched the five-year restriction of the act of 1902, so far as the inherited lands of full-blood Indians are concerned, or to permit the same to be conveyed without restriction from the expiration of that five-year period until the enactment of the legislation of May, 1908.
We agree with the construction contended for by the plaintiff in error, and insisted upon by the government, which has been allowed to be heard in this case, that the act of April, 1906, while it permitted inherited lands to be conveyed by full-blood Indians, nevertheless intended to prevent improvident sales by this class of Indians, and made such conveyance valid only when approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
The further question arises in this casein view of the construction we have given the legislation of Congress, is it constitutional? It is insisted that it is not, because the Indian is a citizen of the United States, and entitled to the protection of the Constitution, and that to add to the restrictions of the act of 1902 those contained in subsequent acts is violative of his constitutional rights, and deprives him of his property without due process of law. It is to be noted in approaching this discussion that this objection is not made by the Indian himself; he is here seeking to avoid his conveyance. It is not made by the Creek Nation or Tribe, for it is stated without contradiction that the act of 1906 has been ratified by the council of that nation.
'The power of the general government over these remnants of a race once powerful, now weak and diminished in numbers, is necessary to their protection, as well as to the safety of those among whom they dwell. It must exist in that government, because it never has existed anywhere else; because the theater of its exercise is within the geographical limits of the United States; because it has never been denied; and because it alone can enforce its laws on all the tribes.' United States v. Kagama, 118 U. S. 375, 30 L. ed. 228, 6 Sup. Ct. Rep. 1109.
'Plenary authority over the tribal relations of the Indians has been exercised by Congress from the beginning, and the power has always been deemed a political one, not subject to be controlled by the judicial department of the government. Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock, 187 U. S. 565, 47 L. ed. 306, 23 Sup. Ct. Rep. 216.
Certain aspects of the question have already been settled by the decisions of this court. That Congress has full power to legislate concerning the tribal property of the Indians has been frequently affirmed. Cherokee Nation v. Hitchcock, 187 U. S. 294, 308, 47 L. ed. 183, 190, 23 Sup. Ct. Rep. 115; United States v. Rickert, 188 U. S. 432, 47 L. ed. 532, 23 Sup. Ct. Rep. 478; McKay v. Kalyton, 204 U. S. 458, 51 L. ed. 566, 27 Sup. Ct. Rep. 346.
'We know of no reason, nor has any been suggested, why it was not competent for Congress to declare that these Indians should be deemed citizens of the United States, and entitled to the rights, privileges, and immunities OF CITIZENS, WHILE IT RETAINED, FOR THE Time being, the title to certain lands in trust for their benefit, and withheld from them for a certain period the power to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of their interest in such lands. It is competent for a private donor, by deed or other conveyance, to create an estate of that character; that is to say, it is competent for a private person to make a conveyance of real property and to withhold from the donee for a season the power to sell or otherwise dispose of it. And we can conceive of no sufficient reason why the United States, in the exercise of its sovereign power, should be denied the right to impose similar limitations, especially when it is dealing with the dependent race like the Indians, who have always been regarded as the wards of the government. Citizenship does not carry with it the right on the part of the citizen to dispose of land which he may own, in any way that he sees fit, without reference to the character of the title by which it is held. The right to sell property is not derived from, and is not dependent upon, citizenship; neither does it detract in the slightest degree from the dignity or value of citizenship that a person is not possessed of an estate, or, if possessed of an estate, that he is deprived for the time being of the right to alienate it.' Beck v. Flournoy Live-Stock & Real Estate Co. 12 C. C. A. 497, 502, 27 U. S. App. 618, 65 Fed. 30, 35.
To the same effect is Rainbow v. Young, 88 C. C. A. 653, 161 Fed. 835, in which the opinion was by Circuit Judge, now Mr. Justice, Van Devanter. In that case, after referring to the fact that while the members of the Winnebago tribe had received allotments in severalty and had become citizens of the United States and of the state of Nebraska, their tribal relation had not terminated, and they were still unable to alienate, mortgage, or lease their allotments without the consent of the Secretary of the Interior, Judge Van Devanter said: 'In short, they are regarded as being in some respects still in a state of dependency and tutelage, which entitles them to the care and protection of the national government; and when they shall be let out of that state is for Congress alone to determine.' The Rainbow Case was cited with approval by Mr. Justice Brewer in delivering the opinion in United States v. Sutton, 215 U. S. 291, 296, 54 L. ed. 200, 202, 30 Sup. Ct. Rep. 116.
Much reliance is placed upon Re Heff, 197 U. S. 488, 49 L. ed. 848, 25 Sup. Ct. Rep. 506. In that case it was held that a conviction could not be had under the Federal statute for selling liquor to an Indian, the sale not being on a reservation, and the Indian having been made a citizen, and subject to the civil and criminal laws of the state. In that case the opinion was by Mr. Justice Brewer, who also delivered the opinion in the case of United States v. Celestine, 215 U. S. 278, 54 L. ed. 195, 30 Sup. Ct. Rep. 93.
As we have construed the statute involved, while it permits the conveyance of inherited lands of the character of those in issue, it requires such conveyance to be made with the approval of the head of the Interior Department.

References: § 2522
 § 16
 § 16
 §22
 § 16
 § 22
 § 16
 § 16
 § 22
 § 19
 § 20
 § 23
 § 22
 § 22
 § 16
 § 29
 § 22
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