OCR Text |
Show Freedmen.-Section 3 of the act declares that the only persons who shall be enrolled as Creek freedmen are those whose names uppear on the roll prepared by J. W. Dunn prior to March 14, 1Rf57, I' and their descendants born since said roll was made," and those lamfully admit-ted to citizenship in the Creek Nation subsequent to that date and their descendants born since such admission, "except such;if any, as have heretofore been enrolled and their enrollment approved by the Secre-tary of the 'Interior." There has been a difference of opinion as to whether a Cherokee freedman must have actually returned to the Cherokee Nation on or before February' 11,1867, in order to be entitled to enrollment. This question is settled by section 3, as follows: ' The roll of Cherokee freedmen shall include only such persons of African de-ecent, either free colored or the slaves of Cherokee citizens and their descend-ants, who were actual personal bona flde residents of the Cherokee Nation August eleventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, or who actually returned and established such residence in the Cherokee Nation on or before February elev-enth, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven; hut this provision shall not prevent the enrollment of any person who has heretofore made application to the Com-mission to the Five Civilized Tribes or its successor and has been adjudged entitled to enrollment by the Secretary of the Interior. This section also provides that lands allotted to freedmen of the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations shall be considered '' homesteads " and,be subject toall of the provisions of any act of Congress appli-cable to Choctaw and Chickasaw homesteads. It is also declared that no name shall be transferred from the ap-proved freedmen or any other roll to the blood roll in any of the tribes unless it is shown that application was actually made for en-rollment of the applicant as a citizen by blood within the time pre-scribed by law, and the reeords.of the Commission to the Five Civ-ilized Tribes are made exclusive evidence as to the fact of such appli-cations having been made, "unless it is shown by documentary evi-dence " that the Commission actually received an application within the required time. . Choctaw and Chickasaw pine.-In the Choctaw and ChicIrasaw nations the standing pine timber had been appraised and its value added to the value of the land, when it was found that a body of fine timber had been overlooked. The Secretary is authorized to segre-gate this timber and land, reserie it from allotment, appraise it, 2nd sell it at public auction or on sealed bids for cash. The segregation was made on July 21, but the lands and timber have not been ap-praised, nor have regulations been prescribed. to govern their sale.- Payment of claims.-The Secretary is authorized to pay all claims against the different tribes arising before the dissolution of the tribal governments, if presented within six months from such dissolution. ITe is also authorized to bring suit in the name of the United States |