Act of June 7, 1897, 30 Stat. L. 83

For salaries of the commissioners appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty-five thousand dollars; for expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, ten thousand dollars, of which sum so much as may be necessary for expenses of employees for eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, to be immediately available : Provided, That two dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent from date of original detail by Interior Department, while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid there from ; for clerical help, including secretary of Commission, five thou sand six hundred dollars ; for contingent expenses of the Commission, one thousand four hundred dollars ; in all, forty-two thousand dollars : Provided, That out of the appropriations for salaries and expenses of said commissioners for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, and prior years, there shall be paid for services heretofore performed, to F. E. Willie, twenty-seven dollars ; A. W. Dickey, thirty-nine dollars ; W. H. McClendon, thirty-three dollars; Henry Stroup, five hundred dollars; N. L. Steele, one hundred dollars : And provided further, The disbursing agent of said Commission may reimburse A. S. McKennon out of said fund fifty dollars heretofore paid by him to W. S. Olive for services. That the Commission appointed to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory shall examine and report to Congress whether the Mississippi Choctaws under their treaties are not entitled to all the rights of Choctaw citizenship except an interest in the Choc-taw annuities: Provided further, That on and after January first, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, the United States courts in said Territory shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction and authority to try and determine all civil causes in law and equity thereafter instituted and all criminal causes for the punishment of any offense committed after January first, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, by any person in said Territory, and the United States commissioners in said Territory shall have and exercise the powers and jurisdiction already conferred upon them by existing laws of the United States as respects all persons and property in said Territory; and the laws of the United States and the State of Arkansas in force in the Territory shall apply to all persons therein, irrespective of race, said courts exercising jurisdiction thereof as now conferred upon them in the trial of like causes ; and any citizen of any one of said tribes otherwise qualified who can speak and understand the English language may serve as a juror in any of said courts.

That said Commission shall continue to exercise all authority heretofore conferred on it by law to negotiate with the Five Tribes, and any agreement made by it with any of said tribes, when ratified, shall operate to suspend any provisions of this act if in conflict therewith as to said nation : Provided, That the words " rolls of citizenship," as used in the act of June tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, making appropriations for current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department and fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, shall be construed to mean the last authenticated rolls of each tribe which have been approved by the council of the nation, and the descendants of those appearing on such rolls, and such additional names and their descendants as have been subsequently added, either by the council of such nation, the duly authorized courts thereof, or the Commission under the act of June tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six. And all other names appearing upon such rolls shall be open to investigation by such Commission for a period of six months after the passage of this act. And any name appearing on such rolls and not confirmed by the act of June tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, as herein construed, may be stricken there from by such Commission where the party affected shall have ten days previous notice that said Commission will investigate and determine the right of such party to remain upon such roll as a citizen of such nation : Provided also, That anyone whose name shall be stricken from the roll by such Commission shall have the right of appeal, as provided in the act of June tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six.

That on and after January first, eighteen hundred, and ninety-eight, all acts, ordinances, and resolutions of the council of either of the aforesaid Five Tribes passed shall be certified immediately upon their passage to the President of the United States and shall not take effect if disapproved by him, or until thirty days after their passage : Provided, That this act shall not apply to resolutions for adjournment, or any acts, or resolutions, or ordinances in relation to negotiations with commissioners heretofore appointed to treat with said tribes.

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Laws, Decisions and Regulations Affecting the work of the Commissioners to Five Civilized Tribes, 1893-1906, Copyright 1906

Laws Affecting the Five Civilized Tribes

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