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Show REPORT OF THE COM3fISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 27 I territory than that included in the agreement. The said bill was referred to the Committee ou Indian Affairs August 8, 1893, and reported back (Report No. 177) Jannary 24 last without amendment. Turtle Nomtain Indians.-These Iudiaus are still in an misettled con-dition. The agreement luade with them December 3,1892, referred to in my last annual report, has not yet been ratified. Moreover, bills have been introduced (5. bill 2011 and H. R. bill 7005) and are now pending in Coi~gressw, hich, if passed, will annul the said agreement and provide for making another one. COMMISSIONS. Five Civilized Tribes, Indian Territory.-By section 16 of the act of March 3,1893 (2i Stats., 645), the President was authorized to appoint three commissioners to enter into negotiations with the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickas;tw, Muscogee (or Creek), and Seminole nations, commonly know as the Five Civilized Tribes, in the Indian Territory. The pur-pose of the negotiations were to be- The ext,inguishment of tribsl titles to any lands within that Terriiory, now held by any and all of snch nations or tribes, either by cession of the same or some part thereof to the United States, or bv the allotment and division of the anme in sever-alty nmang the Iodttt~~osf such nations or tribes, respectively, as may be entitled to the same, or by such other method as mag be agreed upon between the several nations and tribes sforeaaid, or eaoh of them with the United States vith s, view to anoh an adjustment apon the basis of juatiae and equity as may, with the oonsent of the said nations of Indians, so far as may be nsoesssrg, be requisite and ~uitableto enable the ultimate creation of a State or States of the Union, which shdl embrace the lands within said Indian Territory. The President nominated, and the Senate confirmed, as the members of this colnmission Henry L. Dawev of Massachusetts, Meredith H. Kidd of Indiana, and Archibald S. McEennon of Arkansas. In compliance with your irlstructions of November 6, 1593, I sub-mitted, November 28,1893, for your approval, a draft of instructions prepa.red for the guidance of the commission in the performance of the work contemplated by the statute. This draft contained an historical statement of the matiller in which the five nations acquired the terri-tory now owned and occupied by them, and also a statement of t.he rights of the various classes of persoqs residing in each nation in t,he common property thereof. However, as the law authorizing their appointment was very explicit as to their duties, and as their missiou was considered one of great importance and delicacy, the commis-sioners were advised that many things in connection with their nego-tiations must be left to their own wisdom and discretion. The commissior~ersm et in this city on December 8, 1893, and sibse-quently proceeded to the Ii~dian Territory, where they have most of the time since been engaged in the duties imposed upon them. No agreement has yet beeu reached with any of the tribes so far as I am advised, nor do I know what progress they have made in their impor-tant mission. |