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My Native Land - The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; - with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, - Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the - Instruction of the Young by James Cox
page 88 of 334 (26%)
still alive, and some of them have had their heart's desire fulfilled,
and now occupy little homes they have built in some favorite nook and
corner of their much loved, and at one time grievously coveted, country.

Oklahoma came into the possession of the Seminole Indians by the
ordinary process, and remained their alleged home until about thirty
years ago. In 1866, the country was ceded to the United States
Government for a consideration, and in 1873, it was surveyed by Federal
officers, and section lines established according to law.

It was the natural presumption that this expense was incurred with a
view to the immediate opening of the Territory for settlement. For
various reasons, more or less valid, and more or less the result of
influence and possible corruption, the actual opening of the country was
deferred for more than twenty years after its cession to the United
States Government, and in the meantime it occupied a peculiar condition.
Immense herds of cattle were pastured on it, and bad men and outlaws
from various sections of the country awoke reminiscences of biblical
stories about cities of refuge by squatting upon it, making a living by
hunting and indifferent agriculture, and resting secure from molestation
from officers of the law.

To remedy this anomaly, and to secure homes for themselves and families
in what was reported to be one of the most fertile tracts in the world,
Captain Payne and a number of determined men organized themselves into
colonies. There has always been a mania for new land, and many people
are never happy unless they are keeping pace with the invasion of
civilization into hitherto unknown and unopened countries. Many who
joined the Payne movement were doubtless roving spirits of this
character, but the majority of them were bona fide home-seekers, who
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