Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 26.djvu/808

 and approved, then the residue of said reservation, except as hereinafter stated, shall, as far as said Iowa Indians are concerned, become public land of the United States.

ARTICLE IV. Upon the approval of the allotments provided for herein by the Secretary of the Interior, he shall cause patents to issue therefor in the name of the allottees, which patents shall be of the legal effect and declare that the United States does and will hold the land thus allotted for the period of twenty-five years in trust for the sole use and benefit of the Indian to whom such allotment shall have been made, or in case of his or her decease, of his or her heirs or devisees according to the laws of the state or territory where such land is located, and that at the expiration of said period, the United States will convey the same by patent to said Indian or his heirs or devisees as aforesaid in fee, discharged of said trust and free of all incumbrance whatsoever.

And if any conveyance shall be made of the lands set apart and allotted, as herein provided, or any contract made touching the same, before the expiration of the time above mentioned such conveyance or contract shall be absolutely null and void.

And during said period of twenty-five years said lands, so allotted and the improvements thereon shall not be subject to taxation for any purpose by any State or Territory or any municipal subdivision thereof nor subject to be seized upon any execution or other mesne or final process issued out of any court of any State or Territory, and shall never be subject to be seized or sold upon any execution or other mesne or final process issued out of any court of any State or Territory upon any judgment rendered upon any debt or liability incurred, the consideration of which, immediate or remote passed prior to the expiration of said period of twenty-five years. And the law of descent and partition in force in the State or Territory where such lands are situated shall apply thereto.

ARTICLE V. There shall be excepted from the operation of this agreement a tract of land, not exceeding ten acres in a square form, including the church and school house and grave-yard at or near the Iowa village, and ten acres of land shall belong to said Iowa tribe of Indians in common so long as they shall use the same for religious, educational, and burial purposes for their said Tribe&#151;but whenever they shall cease to use the same for such purposes for their Tribe, said tract of land shall belong to the United States.

ARTICLE VI. <P>When all the allotments are made as aforesaid, the United States, under the direction of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs will expend for said Iowa tribe of Indians described herein as beneficiaries of this agreement for improving their said land, for building houses, providing for said Indians breeding animals, agriculture implements, and seeds, the sum of Twenty-four thousand dollars&#151;<I>provided</I>, that said sum shall be paid out as nearly equally per capita as may be, the father, or, if he be dead, the mother, to act for their children under the age of eighteen years&#151;and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in his own discretion to act for orphan children under the age of eighteen years.</P>