SPECIAL MESSAGE.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, October 18, 1893_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

In response to the resolution of the Senate of the 10th instant,
concerning the attitude of the Government of China with regard to an
extension of the time for the registration of Chinese laborers in the
United States under the act of May 5, 1892, I transmit a report of the
Secretary of State on the subject.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

PROCLAMATIONS.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, pursuant to section 10 of the act of Congress approved March 3,
1893, entitled "An act making appropriations for current and contingent
expenses and fulfilling treaty stipulations with Indian tribes for
fiscal year ending June 30, 1894," the Cherokee Nation of Indians, by a
written agreement made on the 17th day of May, 1893, has ratified the
agreement for the cession of certain lands hereinafter described, as
amended by said act of March 3, 1893, and thereby ceded, conveyed,
transferred, relinquished, and surrendered all its title, claim, and
interest of every kind and character in and to that part of the Indian
Territory bounded on the west by the one hundredth degree (100 degree)
of west longitude, on the north by the State of Kansas, on the east by
the ninety-sixth degree (96 degree) of west longitude, and on the south
by the Creek Nation, the Territory of Oklahoma, and the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe Reservation created or defined by Executive order dated August
10, 1869: _Provided_, That any citizen of the Cherokee Nation who
prior to the 1st day of November, 1891, was a _bona fide_ resident
upon and, further, had, as a farmer and for farming purposes, made
permanent and valuable improvements upon any part of the land so ceded,
and who has not disposed of the same, but desires to occupy the
particular lands so improved as a homestead and for farming purposes,
shall have the right to select one-eighth of a section of land, to
conform, however, to the United States surveys; such selection to
embrace, as far as the above limitation will admit, such improvements;
the wife and children of any such citizen shall have the same right of
selection that is above given to the citizen, and they shall have the
preference in making selections to take any lands improved by the
husband and father that he can not take until all of his improved land
shall be taken; and that any citizen of th