Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 4.djvu/775

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money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, be, and is hereby, appropriated, and placed at the disposal of the Secretary of the Navy.

Approved, June 30, 1834.

Statute Ⅰ.



June 30, 1834.

Chap. CLXI.An Act to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers.[1]

Parts of territory of United States to be deemed Indian country.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all that part of the United States west of the Mississippi, and not within the states of Missouri and Louisiana, or the territory of Arkansas, and, also, that part of the United States east of the Mississippi river, and not within any state to which the Indian title has not been extinguished, for the purposes of this act, be taken and deemed to be the Indian country.

Persons trading with Indians to be licensed.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That no person shall be permitted to trade with any of the Indians (in the Indian country) without a license therefor from a superintendent of Indian affairs, or Indian agent, or sub-agent, which license shall be issued for a term not exceeding two years for the tribes east of the Mississippi, and not exceeding three years for the tribes west of that river. And the person applying for such license shall give bond in a penal sum not exceeding five thousand dollars, with one or more sureties, to be approved by the person issuing the same, conditioned that such person will faithfully observe all the laws and regulations made for the government of trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and in no respect violate the same. And the superintendent of the district shall have power to revoke and cancel the same, whenever the person licensed shall, in his opinion, have transgressed any of the laws or regulations provided for the government of trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, or that it would be improper to permit him to remain in the Indian country. And no trade with the said tribes shall be carried on within their boundary, except at certain suitable and convenient places, to be designated from time to time by the superintendents, agents, and sub-agents, and to be inserted in the license. And it shall be the duty of the persons granting or revoking such licenses, forthwith to report the same to the commissioner of Indian affairs, for his approval or disapproval.

License may be refused, or, if granted, may be revoked.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That any superintendent or agent may refuse an application for a license to trade, if he is satisfied that the applicant is a person of bad character, or that it would be improper to permit him to reside in the Indian country, or if a license, previously granted to such applicant, has been revoked, or a forfeiture of his bond decreed. But an appeal may be had from the agent or the superintendent, to the commissioner of Indian affairs; and the President of the United States shall be authorized, whenever in his opinion the public interest may require the same, to prohibit the introduction of goods, or of any particular article, into the country belonging to any Indian tribe, and to direct all licenses to trade with such tribe to be revoked, and all applications therefor to be rejected; and no trader to any other tribe shall, so long as such prohibition may continue, trade with any Indians of or for the tribe against which such prohibition is issued.

Forfeiture of goods and fine for trading without license.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That any person other than an Indian who shall attempt to reside in the Indian country as a trader, or to introduce goods, or to trade therein without such license, shall forfeit all mer-

  1. Notes of the acts for the preservation of peace with the Indian tribes, vol. ii. p. 6.
    Notes of the regulations of intercourse with the Indian tribes, vol. ii. p. 139.
    Notes of the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States on the subject of Indians, vol. ii. p. 146.
    Note of obsolete acts relating to trading houses with the Indians, vol. ii. p. 652.