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Show 1 82 REPORT 06 THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. the fact that they are, and their ancestors were, Mission Indians, and that they have been in the continuous occupancy, use, and possession of the property from time immemorial, and were in such possession at the time the plaintiff's rights thereto had their inception, via, at the time when the Mexican Government granted, or attempted to grant, the lands to the plaintiff's predecessors in interest. Through tbe kind offices of philanthropic persons, the Indians have thus far been able to defend their claims in the State courts of Cali-fornna, and now as the supreme court of that State, by a bare majority, has decided against them, their sole reliance lies in an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States. The question of taking an appeal on behalf of the Indians is now being considered by the Department of Justice. SEMINOLES IN FLORIDA. As stated in the.last annual report, Inspector A. J. Duncan, who was instructed to look into the matter of securing lands forthe Seminoles in Florida, recommended, March 18,1898, that certein described public lands be reserved for their use, and that other adjoining tracts be pur-chased for them. April 5,1899, he further recommended that some 27,360 a r e s be obtained from the State of Florida, to be held for the Indians, or exchanged for other lands in Florida, and that some 41,160 acres be purohased for the Indians from the companies owning the Sam(& In another report, dated May 12, he recommended the im-mediate purchase of thirteen sections, and the purchase of nine sec-tiona as soon as the appropriation for the year 1900 should become available. May 29,1899, the DepasCment approved his recommendo-tiou and directed this office to carry it into effeeot. July 12, this office submitted to the Department two deeds from the Disston Land Company, executed June 27, 1899, the first con. veying to the United States, for the use of the Heminole Indians, all of sections 23,25,27,29,31,33, and 35,T. 48 S., R. 34E., containing4,490.84 acres, and the second all of sections 13,15,17, 19, and 21, in the same tow:nships, containing 3,206.48 acres. The deeds and abstract of title were returned to this office August 1, with a communication from the Acting Attorney-General stating that the abstract was too illeager and incomplete to enable him to form a satisfactory opinion respecting the title. They were resubmitted to the Department, with additional evidence, September 2,1899.' August 25, this office submitted to the Department two deeds from Frank Q. Brown, trustee, executed June 8,1899, the first conveying to the United States, as trustee for the Seminole Indians in Florida, all of sections 22, 24, 26, 28, 30,3!4, and 36, in T. 48 S., R. 34 IS., con-taining 4,480 acres, and the second all of sections 12, 14, and 20, in the same township, containing 1,920 acres. ISinee this report was made the deeds were returned by the Department, Octo-her 17, and October 26 they weregent t,o Florida, fop record. |