COMPACT BETWEEN

-THE

SEVERAL TRIBES OF INDIANS.

WHEREAS, The removal of the Indian tribes, from the homes of their fathers, east of the Mississippi, has there extinguished our ancient council fires, and changed our position in regard to each other; and,

WHEREAS, By the solemn pledge of treaties, we are assured, by the government of the United States, that the lands we now possess, shall be the undisturbed home of ourselves and our posterity forever; therefore,

We, the authorized representatives of the several Nations, parties hereunto, assembled around the great council fire, kindled in the West, at Tahlequah, in order to preserve the relations between our several communities, to secure to all their respective rights, and to promote the general welfare, do enter into the following compact:

Sec. 1. Peace and friendship, shall forever be maintained between the Nations, parties to this compact, and between their respective citizens.

Sec. 2. Revenge shall not be cherished, nor retaliation practiced, for offenses committed by individuals.

Sec. 3. To provide for the improvement of our people in agriculture, manufactures, and other domestic arts, adapted to promote the comfort and happiness of our women and children, a fixed and permanent location on our lands, is an indispensable condition. In order, therefore, to secure these important objects, to prevent any future removal, and to transmit to our posterity, an unimpaired title to the lands guaranteed to our respective

Nations, by the United States, we hereby solemnly pledge. ourselves to each other, that no Nation, party to this compact, shall, without the consent of all the other parties, cede, or in any manner alienate, to the United States, any part of their present territory.

Sec. 4. If a citizen of one Nation, commits willful murder, or other crime, within the limits of another Nation, party hereto, he shall be subject to the same treatment as if he were a citizen of that Nation.

In cases of property stolen, or taken by force or fraud, the property, if found, shall be restored to the owner; but if not found, the convicted person shall pay the full value thereof.

Sec. 5. If a citizen of any Nation, party to this compact, shall commit murder or other crime, and flee from justice, into the territory of any other Nation, party hereto, such criminal shall, on demand of the Principal Chief of the Nation from which he fled (accompanied with reasonable proof of his guilt), be delivered up to the authorities of the Nation having jurisdiction of the crime..

Sec. 6. We hereby further agree, that if any one of our respective citizens shall commit murder, or other crime, upon the person of any other citizen, in any place beyond the limits of our several territories, the person so offending,. shall be subject to the same treatment, as if the offense had been committed within the limits of his own Nation..

Sec. 7. Any citizen of one Nation, may be admitted to citizenship in any other Nation, party hereto, by consent of the proper authorities of such Nation.

Sec. 8. The use of ardent spirits, being a fruitful source of crime and misfortune, we recommend its suppression within our respective limits, and agree that no citizen of one Nation, shall introduce it into the territory of any other Nation, party to this compact.

Done in General Council, around the Great Council Fire, at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, this the third day of July, 1843.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHEROKEES.

HAIR CONRAD, his X mark.

SAMUEL DOWNING, his X mark.
TURTLE FIELDS, his X mark.

STOP, his X mark, THOMAS FOREMAN.
J. VANN.

ARCHIBALD CAMPBEL, his X mark.
OLD FIELD, his X mark.

MICHAEL WATERS.

JOHN LOONEY, his X mark.
GEORGE LOWREY.

TOBACCO WILL, his X mark.

THOMAS WOODWARD, his X mark.
DUTCH, his X mark.
CHARLES COODEY..

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CREEKS.

TUS-TA-NUG-GEE MATHLA, his X mark. UFALAR HARJO, his X mark.

ALEXANDER CHOUTEAU, Osage Int. BLACK DOG, his X mark.
SHIN-KA-WA-SAH, or BELBAZO,

his X mark.

GRON-SAN-TAH, his X mark.
GRA-TAM-E-SAH, his X mark.

BE IT KNOWN, That the National Council of the Cherokee Nation, in annual Council convened, have this day approved and confirmed the within articles of a compact, entered into the day and date therein named, by the authorized representatives of the Nations, parties thereunto.

Done in National Council, at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, this second day of November, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and forty-three.

CHARLES COODEY,

President National Committee.

JAMES M. PAYNE,

Speaker National Council.

APPROVED:

JNO. ROSS.

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT

WITH THE

DELAWARES,

Made this 8th day of April, A. D. 1867, between the Cherokee Nation, represented by William P. Ross, Principal Chief, Riley Keys, and Jessie Busheyhead, delegates, duly authorized, parties of the first part, and the Delaware tribe of Indians, represented by John Connor, Principal Chief, Charles Journey cake, Assistant Chief, Isaac Journeycake, and John Sarcoxie, delegates for and on behalf of said Delaware tribe, duly authorized, witnesseth:

WHEREAS, by the 15th article of a certain treaty between the United States and the Cherokee Nation, ratified August. 11, 1866, certain terms were provided, under which friendly Indians might be settled upon unoccupied lands in the Cherokee country, east of the line of 96° of west longitude, the price to be paid for such lands to be agreed on by the Indians to be thus located and the Cherokee Nation, subject to the approval of the President of the United States; and, WHEREAS, by a treaty between the United States and the Delaware tribe of Indians, ratified August 10, 1866, the removal of the said Delawares to the Indian country, south of Kansas, was provided for, and in the 4th article whereof an agreement was made by the United States to sell to the Delawares a tract of land, being part of a tract the cession of which by the Cherokees to the United States was then contemplated, and, WHEREAS, no such cession of land was made by the Cherokees to the United States, but, in lieu thereof, terms were provided as herein before mentioned, under which friendly Indians might be settled upon their lands; and, WHEREAS, a full and free conference has been held between the representatives of the Cherokees and the Delawares, in view of the treaties herein referred to, looking to a location of the Delawares upon the Cherokee lands, and their consolida

tion with said Cherokee Nation: Now, THREFORE, it is agreed between the parties hereto, subject to the approval of the President of the United States, as follows:

The Cherokees, parties of the first part, for and in consideration of certain payments, and the fulfillment of certain conditions hereinafter mentioned, agree to sell to the Delawares, for their occupancy, a quantity of land east of the line of the 96° west longitude, in the aggregate equal to 160 acres of land for each individual of the Delaware tribe who has been enrolled upon a certain register made February 18, 1867, by the Delaware agent, and on file in the office of Indian affairs, being the list of the Delawares who elect to remove to the "Indian country," to which list may be added, only with the consent of the Delaware Council, the names of such other Delawares as may, within one month after the signing of this agreement, desire to be added thereto; and the selections of the lands to be purchased by the Delawares, may be made by said Delawares in any part of the Cherokee reservation east of said line of 96°, not already selected and in possession of other parties; and in case the Cherokee lands shall hereafter be allotted among the members of said Nation, it is agreed that the aggregate amount of land herein provided for the Delawares, to include their improvements according to the legal subdivisions, when surveys are made (that is to say, 160 acres for each individual), shall be guarranteed to each Delaware incorporated by these articles into the Cherokee Nation; nor shall the continued ownership and occupancy of said land by any Delaware so registered be interfered with in any manner whatever without his consent, but shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions as are by the laws of the Cherokee Nation imposed upon the native citizens thereof; provided, that nothing herein shall confer the right to alienate, convey, or dispose of any such lands, except in accordance with the constitution and laws of said Cherokee Nation.

And the said Delawares, parties of the second part, agree that there shall be paid to the said Cherokees, from