n
Arco-Valley, the German minister, of the 12th instant, was duly laid
before Congress with my last message in relation to Samoan affairs.

It is also proper to inform you that on Monday, the 28th instant, the
occasion of the communication of the note of the Prince Chancellor, the
Secretary of State was given to understand by the German minister that
a proposition from his Government to that of the United States for a
conference on the Samoan subject was on its way by mail, having left
Berlin on the 20th instant, so that its arrival here in due course of
mail could be looked for in a very short time.

In reply to an inquiry from the Secretary of State whether the
proposition referred to was for a renewal of the joint conference
between the United States, Germany, and Great Britain which was
suspended in July, 1887, or for a consideration of Samoan affairs _ab
novo_, the German minister stated his inability to answer until the
proposition which left Berlin on the 20th instant should have been
received.

I shall hereafter communicate to the Congress all information received
by me in relation to the Samoan status.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

[Footnote 29: See pp. 804-805.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, February 1, 1889_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

As supplementary to my previous messages on the subject, I have now the
honor to transmit a report from the Secretary of State relating to
affairs in Samoa.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 5, 1889_.

_To the Congress_:

I transmit herewith, for approval and ratification, a provisional
agreement lately entered into between the Government of the United
States and the Creek Nation of Indians, through their duly authorized
representatives, and which has been approved by the National Council of
said nation, by which agreement the title and interest of the said Creek
Nation of Indians in and to all lands in the Indian Territory or
elsewhere, except such as are held and occupied as the homes of said
nation, are ceded to the United States.

The eighth section of the Indian appropriation bill approved March 3,
1885, authorized the President "to open negotiations with the Creeks,
Seminoles, and Cherokees for the purpose of opening to settlement under
the homestead laws the unassigned lands in the Indian Territory ceded by
them respectively to the United States by the several treaties of August
11, 1866, March 21, 1866, and July 19,