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Show XLIV REPORT OF THE' COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, the Choctswa may be represented by an attorney, and the Choctaws agree tb abide by the decisiaa of the agent; and Whereas there are now in the Choctaw Nation man9 non-citieens who remain here year after year with the pretense tbet they are about to prove their claim to eitieen-ship, it is earuestly requested that the United SteteaIndian agent be required, when furnished with a list of such persons by tho principal ahief, to cause them to take immediate steps to prove tbeir rights to citizenship; and if they refi~seo r neglect, pnt them out of t,he Nation: Therefore, BP it enacted by the general council of the Choctaul Nation aasernbled, That the Seore-tary of the Interior ia hereby requested to prohibit United States commisaionera, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, or any other place, from taking oognieanoe of any petition for the rights of citizenship in tho Chootaw Nation, as the Choctaws do not recognize 8u0h per8on8 8s citizens, nor will they in the future. SEC. 2. Be it furtkm enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby requested to order the United States Indim agent to hear and determine all applications made to him to eatsblisb claims of oitizsushia in the Choatsw Nation. and-the decision of such agent shall be final: P~ovidedo nly, That all such appliostiona shall have been d e to the proper Chaotraw tribunal and by i t refused, th6 sgeut notifring the prin-cipal chief of the time and olace of such rehearinz-. Then the orinoioal chief shall A . appoint some competent Choctaw attorney to represent and defend the interests of the Choctaw Nation in all sooh rehearing;, and such attorney shall be allowed $6 for every day he is neoeaaarily engaged, and 10 oanta for every mile traveled on a direct and praoticahls roote goiug to and returning from auoh rehearing, to be paid on the order of the prinoipal chief out of snp money in the treasury not otherwise appro-priated. SEO. 3. Be itfwther enacted, That the Secretary of theInterior be further requesled to instruct the United Stilts8 Indian agent t,o order all non-citizens now in the nation to take immediate steps to prove their rights aa citizens, aod if they refuse o'peg-lect, remove them beyond the limits of the Choctaw Nation. SEO. 4. Be it furtha. maotsd, That the principal chief be requested to aend a oopy of this act to the Secretary of the interior, snd one to the United States Indian sgent; and also that he send s oopy to the governor of the Chickanaw Nation, end ask the concurrence and co-operation of thy Chickasaws, and that this act take effect and be in force from 2nd after its psssage. STEPHEN WATKINS, Chairman CommitteP on Petitionrr. Approved October 21, 1882. JAJIES THOMPSON, Praidmt Smate, Aeling Chief pro tem. INSTRUCTIONS TO AGENT TOPTS. DEPARTMENOTX THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OP INDIAN AFPAIRS, Washington, D. C., March Y2, 1884. JOHQN. TUFTS,E s ~ . , Uniled Slates Indian Agent, Union Agency, Muskogee, Ind. Tw. : SIR: I transmit herewith a, copy of offioe report dated March 14, 1884, upon the qnestion of intruders and disputed citizsnahip in the Chootaw Nation, and of the de-cision of the honorahle Seoretary of the Interior, dated March 15, lr184, concurring in the reoommendation of this Office. In accordance with this decision you will notify all disputed claimants to citizen- 8hip in the Choct,awNstion, whose names are furniahad you by the Choctaw authori-ties, to appear at the next session of the proper tribunal and aubmit their alaime for |
