THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 837 



in the United States, who is the head of a familj^, or who has ar- 

 rived at the age of twenty-one years, and who has abandoned or may 

 hereafter abandon his tribal relations, with the exception that the pro- 

 visions of the eighth section of said act of 1862 (section 2301 of the 

 Eevised Statutes) shall not be held to apply to entries made thereunder, 

 and with the proviso that the title to lands acquired by any Indian by 

 virtue thereof shall not be subject to alienation or incumbrance, either 

 by voluntary conveyance, or the judgment, decree, or order of any court, 

 and shall be and remain inalienable for a period of five years from the 

 date of the patent issued therefor. 



An Indian desiring to enter public land under this act must make 

 application to the register and receiver of the proper district land office ; 

 also, an affidavit setting forth the fact of his Indian character; that he 

 was born in the United States; that he is the head of a family or has 

 arrived at the age of twenty-one years ; that he has abandoned his 

 tribal relations and adopted the habits and pursuits of civilized life; 

 and this must be corroborated by the affidavits of two or more disinter- 

 ested witnesses. 



If no objection appears, the register and receiver will then permit 

 him to enter the tract desired according to existing regulations, so far 

 as applicable, under the homestead law, the register writing across the 

 face of the application the words " Indian homestead — act of March 3, 

 1875"; they will note the entry on their records and make returns 

 thereof to the General Land Office, with which they will send the affi- 

 davits submitted. It will be observed that the provisions of the eighth 

 section of the act of May 20, 1862 ( section 2301 of the Eevised Statutes), 

 which admits of the commuting of homestead to cash entries, do not 

 ^PPly to this class of homesteads. 



All lands obtained under the above act are exempt from liability for 

 debts contracted prior to the issuing of i)atents therefor. 



When Indians become citizens of the United States they are entitled 

 to the benefits of all the settlement and other land laws, as are other 

 citizens. 



Homesteads of all classes are returned upon monthly abstracts by 

 registers and receivers, and the class or kind noted in " Eemarks." No 

 list or statement of the number of entries made under the above act 

 can be (at this time) obtained, but the total number of entries made 

 under it in all States and Territories will not exceed 100 to June 30, 

 1880. 



There have been several acts passed relating to settlements by In- 

 dians upon the public lands, such as the acts of June 10, 1872, and May 

 23, 1876, which were for the. Indians of the tribes known as Ottawas 

 and Chippewas of Michigan. These were allowed to make entries of 

 lands of former Indian reservations of Michigan. Probably some 500 

 or more of such entries have been made and perfected. (See Statutes 

 at Large and Eevised Statutes.) The Indian allotment act of Feb- 

 ruary 8, 1887, is given in full in a foot-note on previous pages. 



