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Show community. Congress soon felt the pressure of this outbreak, known as the Meeker incident. While only a portion of one band of Northern LItes, the White Rivers, had been involved in the outbreak and killing, all of the Ute bands in the state were blamed and their removal was demanded. A flood of new bills were introduced into both houses expressing the desires of the Colorado people: the Utes must go! Representative J. P. Belford was the first to introduce a removal bill after the Meeker incident. He asked that the Ute reservation be abolished in Colorado and those people moved from the state. Belford was not concerned with where the Utes were to be sent but only that they be removed. His bill was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs and was not called back for consideration. Senator N. P. Hill introduced the second bill for removal. This bill received a more favorable response and became one of two bills which formed the basis for the negotiations of 1879. The bill, Senate Joint Resolution Number 51, asked: That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered, through a Commission of five persons to be appointed by the President, or by direct negotiations, as he may deem best, to enter into an agreement with such of the Lite Indians in Colorado as have not, by acts of hostility against the United States or otherwise, forfeited their rights under existing treaties, for the extinguishment of their title to reservation in said state, for their removal and settlement in the Indian Territory or elsewhere. 9 It was read twice in the halls of the Senate and reffered to the Indian Affairs Committee for consideration. io After short deliberation the committee made revisions. The bill was reported back to the Senate by Senator Allison and placed on the Senate calendar for debate." Later in the proceedings of the same day the bill was considered by the Senate, ordered engrossed for the third reading, read and passed. 12 At passage it read: That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered, through a Commission of five persons to be appointed by the President, or by direct negotiations, as he may deem best, to enter into an agreement with such of the Lite Indians in Colorado as have not, by acts of hostility against the United States or otherwise, forfeited their rights under existing treaties, for extinguishment of their title to their reservation in said State, for their removal and settlement in some suitable place not in the Indian Territory; and the said Secretary of Interior shall report his proceedings under this resolution to Congress for its consideration and approval; the expense of such negotiations to be paid by the United States, for which purpose the sum of $ 10,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.' 3 This Senate Resolution, after being introduced into the House by A. M. Scales, chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, was combined with House Resolution Number 142, and again presented to the House on December 12 by Representative Belford. The House Resolution asked that a commission be created to negotiate with 9. U. S., Congress, Senate, Senator Hill Introduces Senate Resolution Number 51, Congressional Record, Vol. X, Part 1, 46 Cong., 2d Sess., December 8, 1879, p. 30. 10. Ibid., p. 30. 11. Ibid., p. 69. 12. Ibid., p. 77. 13. Ibid., pp. 69, 77. - 21- |