OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMIBSIONER OF INDIAN AFBAIR8. 169 visions of the act of March, 3, 1893, and the opinion of the former Assistant Attorney- General, in which I concur. I believe, however, as before stated, that no plan of adjustment which includes the full-paid purchasers will ever be consented to by the Indians, and I further believe that the f s t that an adjustment as to the full-paid unrchasem can not be effected ought not to be permitted to stand in the way of or m preveur an ;ldjuptmt:nr ar t r ~th e drlinqoctrt purrhaserr. Ir is now mow than iixtee~ly r.31~~i rrccti awe sales owurrrJ, nnd good i~~la~iniqtra. tion, as well as fair dealing toward the Indians and the delinquent purchasers, requires that the matter shall be adjusted, so far as they are concerned, so that the Indians may receive the moneys to which they are entitled and the purchasers receive title to the lands. The plan of adjustment consented to by the Indians November 20, 1899, provides that they shall receire from the delinquent purchasen the origins1 appraised value of the lands, with 26 per cent added thereto, and with interest thereon at 5 ner cent oer annum. Re~resentativeso f this Deoartment, who haye inelgecrccl the lantl sntl nrn ic~lili~crilntq uiry with ra-pert to flleir apl,rai?t~~~rvt>t 2nd valn~.h +liu\v tlrar this i i a w~iunilhlra ncl cqttit;~hl<s.' .rtleroenr Loti, lor the Indians and the delinquent purchasers. I have had two conferences with delega-tions from the tribes, and sfter careful consideration of the matter believe that the best interests of all concerned will he subserved if this plan of adjustment between the Indians and the delinquent purrhasem is authoritatively adopted and carried into effect. This controvemy, so long pending, should be closed without further delay. While under the act of March 3, 1893, the consent of the purchasers was not made a eon-dition to the revision and adjustment thereby authorized, it is worthy of considera-tion that about 110 out of a total of 123 delinquent ~urchasen have joined in - the lands without making any payment at all, or upon the payment of the original appraised value with interest thereon at 5 pej cent per annum for three years: I t thus appears that the Indians and the delinquent purchasers have, with practical unanimity, consented to this plan of adjustment. I therefore respectfully tmnamit herewith a draft of a bill confirming the revision and adjustment to which assent has thus been given, and earnestly recommend that it receive your favorable consideration. The agreement of November 20, 1899, was confirmed by act of Con-gress approved April 4, 1890 (31 Stats. 59). The act directs that the Secretary of the Interior shall cause notice to be given purchasers of lands of the amounts due and unpaid on their purchases. Withip one year thereafter it is niade the duty of such purchascrs to make full payment.of the amounts due, in default of which the entry of any delinquent purchaser shall be canccled and his lands resold at not less than the appraisedvalue, and in no case less than 82.50 per acre. Upon making such complete payment within the time limited, each purchaser, his heirs or legal representatives, shall be entitled to receive a patent for the lands purchased. PIPESTONE RESERVATION AGREEMENT. I n my last annual report (p. 136) reference was made to the fact that negotiations had been conducted by inspector James McLaughlin with the Yankton Indians for the purchase of the Pipestone Reserw- |