Whereas, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Tongue River Reservation in Montana is a recognized Indian Tribe organized under a constitution and by-laws ratified by the Tribe on November 2, 1935 and approved by the Secretary of the Interior on November 23, 1935 pursuant to section 16 of the Act of June 18, 1934, (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 378); and

    Whereas, more than one-third of the adult members of the Tribe have petitioned that a charter of incorporation be granted to such Tribe, subject to ratification by a vote of the adult Indians living on the reservation;

    Now, therefore, I, T. A. Walters, Acting Secretary of the Interior, by virtue of the authority conferred upon me by the said Act of June 18, 1934, (48 Stat. 984), do hereby issue and submit this charter of incorporation to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Tongue River Reservation to be effective from and after such time as it may be ratified by a majority vote in an election at which at least thirty per cent of the adult Indians living on the reservation shall vote.
 

Corporate Existence and Purposes.

1. In order to further the economic development of  the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Tongue River and Reservation in Montana by conferring upon the said Tribe certain corporate rights, powers privileges and immunities; to secure for the members of the Tribe an assured economic independence; and to provide for the proper exercise by the Tribe of various functions heretofore performed by the Department of the Interior, the aforesaid Tribe is hereby chartered as a body politic and corporate of the United States of America, under the corporate name "The Northern Cheyenne Tribe."

Perpetual Succession.

2. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe shall, as a Federal Corporation, have perpetual succession.

Membership.

3. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe shall be a membership corporation. Its members shall consist of all persons now or hereafter members of the Tribe, as provided by its duly ratified and approved Constitution and By-laws.

Management.

4. The Tribal Council of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe established in accordance with the said Constitution and By-laws of the Tribe, shall exercise all the corporate powers hereinafter enumerated.

Corporate Powers.

5. The Tribe, subject to any restrictions contained in the Constitution and laws of the United States, or in the Constitution and By-laws of the said Tribe, shall have the following corporate powers, in addition to all powers already conferred or guaranteed by the Tribal Constitution and By-laws: (a) To adopt, use, and alter at its pleasure a corporate seal. (b) To purchase, take by gift, bequest, or otherwise, own, hold, manage, operate, and dispose of property of every description, real and personal, subject to the following limitations: (1) No sale or mortgage may be made by the Tribe of any land, or interests in land, including water power sites, water rights, oil, gas, and other mineral rights, now or hereafter held by the Tribe within the boundaries of the Tongue River Reservation. (2) No mortgage may be made by the Tribe of any standing timber on any land now or hereafter held by the Tribe within the boundaries of the Tongue River Reservation. (3) No leases, permits (which terms shall not include land assignments to members of the Tribe) or timber sale contracts covering any land or interests in land now or hereafter held by the Tribe within the boundaries of the Tongue River Reservation shall be made by the Tribe for a longer term than five years, as provided section 1 (c), Article IV, of the Constitution of the Tribe, and all such leases, permits or contracts must be approved by the Secretary of the Interior or by his duly authorized representative; but oil and gas leases, water power leases, or any leases requiring substantial improvements of the land may be made for longer periods when authorized by law. (4) No action shall be taken by or in behalf of the Tribe which in any way operates to destroy or injure the tribal grazing lands, timber, or other natural resources of the Tongue River Reservation. All leases, permits, and timber sale contracts relating to the use of tribal grazing or timber lands shall conform to regulations of the Secretary of the Interior authorized by section 6 of the Act of June 18, 1934, with respect to range carrying capacity, sustained yield forestry management, and other matters therein specified. Conformity to such regulations shall be made a condition of any such lease, permit, or timber sale contract, whether or not such agreement requires the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, and violation of such condition shall render the agreement revocable, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior. (c) To borrow money from the Indian Credit Fund in accordance with the terms of Section 10 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), or from any other Governmental agency, or from any member or association of members of the Tribe, and to use such funds directly for productive tribal enterprises, or to loan money thus borrowed to individual members or associations of members of the Tribe, provided that the amount of indebtedness to which the Tribe may subject itself, other thin indebtedness to the Indian Credit Fund, shall not exceed 25,000 dollars, except with the express approval of the Secretary of the Interior. (d) To engage in any business that will further the economic well-being of the members of the Tribe or to undertake any activity of any nature whatever, not inconsistent with law or with any provisions of this charter. (e) To make and perform contracts and agreements of every description, not inconsistent with law or with any provisions of this charter, with any person, association, or corporation, with any municipality or any county, or with the United States or the State of Montana including agreements with the State of Montana for the rendition of public services, provided that any contract involving payment of money by the corporation in excess of $5,000 in any one fiscal year shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized representative. (f) To pledge or assign chattels or future tribal income due or to become due to the Tribe, provided that such agreements of pledge or assignment, other than on agreement with the United States, shall not extend more than ten years from the date of execution and shall not cover more than one-half the net tribal income from any one source, and provided further that any such agreement shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized representative. (g) To deposit corporate funds, from whatever source derived, in any national or state bank to the extent that such funds are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or secured by a surety bond, or other security, approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or to deposit such funds in the Postal Savings Bank or with a bonded disbursing officer of the United States to the credit of the corporation. (h) To sue and to be sued in courts of competent jurisdiction within the United States; but the grant or exercise of such power to sue and to be sued shall not be deemed a consent by the said Tribe or by the United States to the levy of any judgment, lien or attachment upon the property of the Tribe other than income or chattels specially pledged or assigned. (i) To exercise such further incidental powers, not inconsistent with law, as may be necessary to the conduct of corporate business.

Termination of Supervisory Powers.

6. Upon the request of the Tribal Council for the termination of any supervisory power reserved to the Secretary of the Interior under sections 5 (b) (3), 5 (c), 5 (e), 5 (f), 5 (g), 5 (h), and section 8 of this charter, the Secretary of the Interior, if he shall approve such request, shall thereupon submit the question of such termination to the Tribe for a referendum vote. The termination shall be effective upon ratification by a majority vote at an election in which at least thirty per cent of the adult members of the Tribe residing on the reservation shall vote. If at any time after five years from the effective date of this charter, such request shall be made and the Secretary shall disapprove it or fail to approve or disapprove it within ninety days after its receipt, the question of the termination of any such power may then be submitted by the Secretary of the Interior or by the Tribal Council to popular referendum of the adult members of the Tribe actually living within the reservation and if the termination is approved by two-thirds of the eligible voters, shall be effective.

Corporate Property.

7. No property rights of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, as heretofore constituted, shall be in any way impaired by anything contained in this charter, and the tribal ownership of unallotted lands, whether or not assigned to the use of any particular individuals is hereby expressly recognized. The individually owned property of members of the Tribe shall not be subject to any corporate debts or liabilities, without such owners' consent. Any existing lawful debts of the Tribe shall continue in force except as such debts may be satisfied or canceled pursuant to law.

Corporate Dividends.

8. The Tribe may issue to each of its members a non-transferable certificate of membership evidencing the equal share of each member in the assets of the Tribe and may distribute per capita, among the recognized members of the Tribe, all profits of corporate enterprises or income over and above sums necessary to defray corporate obligations and over and above all sums which may be devoted to the establishment of a reserve fund, the construction of public works, the costs of public enterprises, the expenses of tribal government, the needs of charity, or other corporate purpose. No such distribution of profits or income in any one year amounting to more than $25.00 per capita shall be made without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. No distribution of the financial assets of the Tribe shall be made except as provided herein or as authorized by Congress.

Corporate Accounts.

9. The officers of the Tribe shall maintain accurate and complete public accounts of the financial affairs of the Tribe, which shall clearly show all credits, debts, pledges, and assignments, and shall furnish an annual balance sheet and report of the financial affairs of the Tribe to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The books of the Treasurer shall be open to inspection by members of the Tribe or duly authorized representatives of the Government at all reasonable times.

Amendments.

10. This charter shall not be revoked or surrendered except by act of Congress, but amendments may be proposed by resolutions of the Council which, if approved by the Secretary of the Interior, shall be effective when ratified by a majority vote of the adult members living on the reservation at a popular referendum in which at least 30 per cent of the eligible voters vote.

Ratification.

11. This charter shall be effective from and after the date of its ratification by a majority vote of the adult members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe living on the Tongue River Reservation, provided at least 30 per cent of the eligible voters shall vote, such ratification to be formally certified by the Superintendent of the Tongue River Agency and the Chairman of the Tribal Council of the Tribe.

    Submitted by the Secretary of the Interior for ratification by the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Tongue River Reservation in a popular referendum to be held on November 7, 1936.

                                                                                                                                                      T. A. WALTERS,

    WASHINGTON, D. C., October 24, 1936.

    We, the undersigned, hereby certify that in accordance with instructions of the Acting Secretary of the Interior, as contained in his letter of October 24, 1936 to the Superintendent, and in the corporate charter of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Tongue River Reservation, an election was held on November 7, 1936, for the purpose of voting upon the ratification of the said charter.

    We further certify that at this election 529 votes were cast by qualified electors and that as the total number of eligible voters is 744, the total of the votes cast is more than 307% of the eligible voters.

    We further certify that we have completed an official count of these votes, the result of which shows the following:

Votes in favor of the adoption of charter --------------------   448
Votes opposed to adoption of charter ----------------------     73
Votes rejected as illegal or spoiled --------------------------      8

                        Total ----------------------------------------------- 529

                                                                                                                                                CHAS. H. JENNINGS,