Cite as: 510 U. S. 399 (1994)
Blackmun, J., dissenting
vest Indians of their land, see United States v. Celestine, 215 U. S. 278, 285 (1909), and "Congress [must] clearly evince an 'intent . . . to change . . . boundaries' before diminishment will be found." Solem v. Bartlett, 465 U. S. 463, 470 (1984), quoting Rosebud Sioux Tribe v. Kneip, 430 U. S. 584, 615 (1977); see also DeCoteau v. District County Court for Tenth Judicial District, 420 U. S. 425, 444 (1975); Mattz v. Arnett, 412 U. S. 481, 505 (1973). Absent a "plain and unambiguous" statement of congressional intent, United States v. Santa Fe Pacific R. Co., 314 U. S. 339, 346 (1941), we find diminishment only "[w]hen events surrounding the [Act's] passage . . . unequivocally reveal a widely held, contemporaneous understanding" that such was Congress' purpose. Solem, 465 U. S., at 471 (emphasis added).
In diminishment cases, the rule that "legal ambiguities are
resolved to the benefit of the Indians" also must be given "the broadest possible scope." DeCoteau, 420 U. S., at 447; see also Carpenter v. Shaw, 280 U. S. 363, 367 (1930) ("Doubtful expressions are to be resolved in favor of the [Indians]"); United States v. Nice, 241 U. S. 591, 599 (1916); United States v. Celestine, 215 U. S., at 290. For more than 150 years,2 we
have applied this canon in all areas of Indian law to construe
thority to legislate unilaterally on behalf of the Indians derives from the presumption that Congress will act with benevolence, courts "have developed canons of construction that treaties and other federal action should when possible be read as protecting Indian rights and in a manner favorable to Indians." F. Cohen, Handbook of Federal Indian Law 221 (1982 ed.) (hereinafter Cohen). The principle "has been applied to the particular issue of reservation termination to require that the intent of Congress to terminate be clearly expressed." Id., at 43.
2 The maxim that ambiguous provisions should be construed in favor of the Indians was first articulated by Justice McLean in Worcester v. Georgia, 6 Pet. 515, 582 (1832) (concurring opinion) ("The language used in treaties with the Indians should never be construed to their prejudice"); see also Choate v. Trapp, 224 U. S. 665, 675 (1912) ("This rule of construction has been recognized, without exception, for more than a hundred years").
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