said Muscogee (or Creek) Nation in the Indian Territory,
lying west of the division line surveyed and established under the
treaty with said nation dated the 14th day of June, 1866, and also
granted and released to the United States all and every claim, estate,
right, or interest of any and every description in and to any and all
land and territory whatever, except so much of the former domain of
said Muscogee (or Creek) Nation as lies east of said line of division
surveyed and established as aforesaid, and then used and occupied as
the home of said nation, and which articles of cession and agreement
were duly accepted, ratified, and confirmed by said Muscogee (or Creek)
Nation of Indians by act of its council approved on the 31st day of
January, 1889, and by the United States by act of Congress approved
March 1, 1889; and

Whereas by section 12 of the act entitled "An act making appropriations
for the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department and
for fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes for the
year ending June 30, 1890, and for other purposes," approved March 2,
1889, a sum of money was appropriated to pay in full the Seminole
Nation of Indians for all the right, title, interest, and claim which
said nation of Indians might have in and to certain lands ceded by
article 3 of the treaty between the United States and said nation of
Indians concluded June 14, 1866, and proclaimed August 16, 1866, said
appropriation to become operative upon the execution by the duly
appointed delegates of said nation specially empowered to do so of
a release and conveyance to the United States of all right, title,
interest, and claim of said nation of Indians in and to said lands in
manner and form satisfactory to the President of the United States; and

Whereas said release and conveyance, bearing date the 16th day of
March, 1889, has been duly and fully executed, approved, and delivered;
and

Whereas section 13 of the act last aforesaid, relating to said lands,
provides as follows:

SEC. 13. That the lands acquired by the United States under said
agreement shall be a part of the public domain, to be disposed of only
as herein provided; and sections 16 and 36 of each township, whether
surveyed or unsurveyed, are hereby reserved for the use and benefit of
the public schools to be established within the limits of said lands
under such conditions and regulations as may be hereafter enacted