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Show EASTERN CHEROKEES IN. XORTH CAROLINA. Some years ago the Attorney-General instituted a suit in the Cnited States circuit coort for the western district of North Carolina to estab-lish a clear title to lands in that State claimed by the Eastern Ohero-kees, heillg the 33,000 acres of land known as the speculation lands of James Love. They are adjacent to the land occupied by the Indians, and are jucludbd within the boundaries of the land set forth in a deed executed by William Johnston and wife to the Eastern Band of Ohero-kee Indians on the 9th day of October, 1876, which deed was intended to give effect to the award of arbitrators appoiuted to settle the con-troversy between the Eastern Bwd of 0herokee.Indians and William H. Thomas et al., and to a decree made in pursuance of said award. . Since my last report the defendants hwe proposed to compromise the litigation upon terms satisfactory to the district attorney and deemed fair and just by the dislrict judge, R. P. Dick, and the master in chancery, R. M. Douglass, to whom the same had been referred, and who had given much time and attention to an examination of the ques-tions involved. I n view of the uncertainty of the result of this litiga-tion and of the recommendations as to a compromise made by the above-named officials, and in order to secure to the Indians what was cou-ceived to be a long-deferred right, the Attorney-General recommended that Congress confirm said agreement and make such appropriations as might be necessary to carry the same into effect. The brms of this agreement,, dated January 18, 1894, are that the United States shall pay the defendants the price of $1.25 per acre for the said 33,000 acres of land. On the same date the East.ern Band of Cherokees also made a compro-mise and agreement with certain defendants in another suit to the effect that, upon the payment to each of the defendants and to the guardians of minor defendants of the respective sums of money named in said agreement, aggregating $24,552, all the defendants would quit posses. sion of the several tracts of lwd then occupied by themselves or ten. ants inside of the 'LQualla Boundary" of laud, and would execute to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians a quit-claim deed to any and all lands claimed by them, respectively, inside of the said. "Qualla Boubdary" (as per survey of M. S. Temple, deputy U. 8. surveyor, and a deed executed in accordance with said survey by William John-ston and wife, Lncinda M. Johnston, to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, on the 9th day of October, 1876), in which deed the said defendants would execute a warranty to the title of the lands as against themselves nud their heirs, and all persons claiming by, through, or under them. This.agreement contai~leda further stipulation that a decree should be entered in said suits diverting all the right, title and interest of the said defendants therein named in and to the said "Qualla Boundary" of land, and that a writ of possession should 6655 I A-6 , |