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Show IX FIFTY-SEVENTH ANKUAL REPORT OF For sonle time t,he Department; would not accept as final the decisiol~ of the Cherokee Nation against claimants to citizenship who e~ltered the nation prior to August ll., 1886, and declined to treat such claim-ants as intruders until it could determine for itself whether they were a,ctually intruders or not. But by letter of August 21,1888, in the Kester-son case, the Department has determined that it will accept the decision of the Cherokee authorities against this class of claimants, as fising their status as intruders in that nation to be dealt with in accordance with t,he provisions of article 27 of the treaty of 1866 (14 Stat., 80G). -The claimants must, however, be dealt with as intruders in the light of the facts in each pitrticular cade, and reasonable time and opportunity must be given each one (in view of all the circumstances of residence and labor there) to dispose of or to remove his property. The belief is expressed that the nation will not wantonly abuse its .almost ul~limitedp ower on the subject of citizenship, and that the plan provided by the Department in ths Hcstersou ease for modifxing harsh judgments and unjust decisions may be executed without friction, and that, conserluently, no action of Congress in the matter will be mcces-sary. FEEEDMEN IN THE OHICKASAW NATION. 1 On May 8 last, Commissioner Atkins submitted to the Departmeut a report giving at length the history of the freedmen in the (Ihickasaw Nation, covering the points set forth in the last annual report of this Bureau, and also forwarding a draft of a hill for the relief of said freedmen. On May 9 the Department submitted the same for the cou-sideration and action of Congress. (Senate Ex. Doc. No. 1G6, Fiftiet,h ,Congress, first session.) Beyond reference to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, it does not appear that any action has been taken upon the subject by that .body. This bill proposes : (1) That such of these freedmen as consent thereto shall be removed from the Chickasaw Nation to lands ceded to the United Statesin 18GG by the Creeks and Semiuoles, now kuown as the Olrlehoma country. (2) That two officers, one to be designated by the Interior Depart-ment and the other appointed by the Chickwaw authorities, shall as- ' .certain what freedmen will consent to such removal and shall appraise the improvements made by these freedmen in the Chickasaw Nation which the removal will cause the~ltlo relinquish. i (3) That the freedmen shall not be reqoired to remove uutil they :shall hare disposed of their improvements ; but in case the Chickasaw Nation shall pay any freedman the appraised value of his improvements, said freedman, with his hmily, shall remove from the nation within sixty days from such pa,yment. (4) That after a freedman shall hare disposed ot or been. paid for his improvements he shall receive $100 for himself and each member of his |