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Show KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS LYII council passed an act whioh was approved NOT-embe2r 3,1880 (see Cher-okee Laws, p. 325, edition of 1881), autl~orizing the principal chief to appoint three conlinissioners on the part of the nation to confer with John Q. Tnfts, United State,s Indian agent., for the purpose of dranght-ing articles of agreement for the final settlement of the status of the colored people residing in the nation and embraced in the treatyof July 19,1866, said articles of agree~nert~ot be first submitted to the national conncil for approval, and, when approved, submitted to the Commis-sioner of Iudian Affairs for ratification by Congress. Agent Tufts met the commissioners appointed, but soon discovered that no act'ion grant-ing the frredmen the rights to which they were entitled would he enter-tained by them. It was decided, therefore, to refer the matter to the next counoil. which met in November, 1881, when a general discnssion was had, but no action was taken. In his report of Januarj 26, 1882, Agent Tufts states that- / It is nupopldnr in the Cherokee Nation to advocate a measnre that provides far placing the colored nilan 011 an e q l ~ a l i tw~i th Cherokees, and t,he politicians are civilized euongh to do nothing tha* migllt lessen their chances for political success; hence nntil the seutimeut sllsll undergo a rerohtion there will be no favorable sotiou. From the hesitancy heretofore sl~own by the nation to carry out in good fait11 toward the colored people simply what has been granted them by the treats, I am conrinced that the nation will not. fix and settle the status of the colored people nntil a more peremptory demand is made on the nation to execute the conditions of their t,reaty respect-ing them. Many of the colored people speak theCherokee language, and having been brought I I a~m ong Cherokees and accustomed to their ways, it would be a hardship to remove them from that country, and remaining in the nation, they shonld he accorded all their rights. Agent Tnfts recommended the appointment of a comn~issiou to x~isit the agency with authority to hear evidence and deterniine the question whether the claima.~~wtse re freedmen liberated by roluntary a,ct of owner, or by law, or whether they were free colored persous and in the country at the comn~encement of the rebellion; ancl whether they were rcsi-dents of the nation at the time of the treaty, or retortled within six months thereafter-the findings of the co~nmission to be submittecl to t.he department for approval. Cl~iokasazo ATutiols.-The status of the freedmen in this nation was fully stated in tn>- antlual report of last pear (p. LII), and I inrite your at.tention to the subject a,gain as one requiring detinitire action on the . part, of Congress. An act was passed by the legislature of the Chicka-saw Nation, which mas approved January 10,1873, entitled '&An act to adopt the negroes of the Chickasaw Nation," as follows: SECTION 1. Be i t ellneted By the 7egi87ah've of the Chicknsaro Nation, That all the negroes irclo~giug to Chickasaws at the time of the adoptiori of the treaty of Fort Smit.h, n.nd living iu the Chickasaw Nation at the date thereof, and tlreir descendants, |