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Show 88 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIR& EXTENSION OF -PAYMENTS FOR OMAHA LAND& My last annual report stated that the Omaha Indians had refused to grant the extension of time to purchasers of their lands, cantem-plated by the mt of Congress approved August 11,1894 (28 Stat. L., 276), but that their action was rendered nugatory by an item in the Indian appropriation act for the fiscal year 1896, which granted au extension without any snbmission of the matter to the Indians for their consent. The purchasers, however, finding that greater beliefit would be derived by them if the Indians would accept the provisions of the act of 1894, requested that it be again submitted to them, and Captain Beck, the acting Indian agent, recommended favorable action on the ground that the Indians had not before properly understood the question. In compliance with Department instructions of November 23, 1895, Captain Beck was directed to present the matter to the Indians, and December 23,1895, he transmitted a copy of a resolution adopted by the Omahas, assenting to the extension of time, as provided by the act of 1894. MODIFICATION OF PAYMENTS FOR OTOE AND MISSOURIA LANDS. It was shown in my last annual report that the commission which had been appointed to negotiate with the Otoe and Missouria Indians for an extension of time of payment and a rebate to purchasers of their lands in Kansas and Nebraska, as provided by the act of March 3, 1893 (27 Stat. L., 5681, reported that the Indians positively refused to entertain any proposition looking to readjustment or rebate, and that negotiatious with them were thus ended. By Department letter of July 18,1895, to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, it was declared that the refusal of the Indians to consent to the terms of relief for the purchasers of their lands, con-templated by the act of March 3,1893, made it theduty of the Depart-ment to enforce prior legislation with respect thereto, and to cancel entries in default of payment after due notice from the local land officers. Request having been made by the purchasers for further considera tion and action looking to readjustment, the Department, March 10, 1896, directed that another proposition be submitted to the Indiana and the settlers, viz, that a rebate of five years'interest be allowed the settlers; that the balance dne from them be paid in five equal install-ments, without interest, upon the express condition that a failure to meet any one of the annual payments should work a forfeiture. This proposition was submitted to the Indians by Speoial Agent Dicksou under office instructions dated March 23 last. April 22 the special agent reported that the Indians refused tovote on the proposition, and |