1885, ! and finally, on appeal, by the Supreme Court on
March 1, lssti. that court holding in its decision that the Cherokee in
North Carolina had dissolved their connection with the Cherokee
Nation and ceased to he a part of it when they refused to accompany
the main body at the Removal, and that if Indians in North Carolina or
in any state east of the Mississippi wished to enjoy the benefits of the
common property of the Cherokee Nation in any form whatever they
must he readmitted to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation and comply
with its constitution and laws. In accordance with this decision the
agent in the Indian territory was instructed to issue no more resi-
dence permits to claimants tor Cherokee citizenship, and it was
officially announced that all persons thereafter entering that country
withoutconsent of the Cherokee authorities would he treated as
intruders. 3 This decision, cutting off the East Cherokee from all
hope of sharing in any of the treaty benefits enjoyed by their western
kinsmen, was a sore disappointment to them all. especially to Chief
Smith, who had worked unceasingly in their behalf from the institu-
tion of the proceedings. In view of the result. Commissioner Atkins
strongly recommended, as the best method of settling them in perma-
nent home-, secure from white intrusion and from anxiety on account
of their uncertain tenure and legal status in North Carolina, that
negotiations be opened through government channels for their
readmission to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, to he followed, if
successful, by the sale of their lands in North Carolina and their
removal to Indian Territory. 4
In order to acquire a more