The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-07
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
THE TERRITORY OF NEBRASKA.

Mr. Douglass, Of Illinois, some days ago, intro.
duced into the House OF Representatives, bill to
erect the territory of Nebraska. The reader will be
curious to know something of this proposed new
member Of the nation. We have now four consli.
tuted territories, two Of which, Iowa, aud Florida,
are knocking at the door Of the Union for admission
as States. Where can Nebraska bei II will convey
forcible idea Of the vast extent of our country ii
the reader will consider that it lies the west of the
State OF Missouri adjoining that State, but having
between 1t and the slope Of the Rocky Noun
talns, four hundred miles of territory.
We append very satisfactory account Of the pro-
posed new Territory, which we find In the report of
the Secretary Of War;
"The immediate valleys of the head streams of the
Arkansas the Platte and the Yellow Stone Rivers,
have much rich and valuable land The Platte, or
Nebraska being the central stream leading into or
from the great South pass would very properly fur
nlsh name to the territory, which | propose sug-
costing 10 be erected into territorial government in
connection WITH and preliminary to the extension in
that direction, Of our military posts would conne
The Nebraska Territory to our undisputed posses
sions on this side of the Rocky Mountains Its boun-
dairy line to commence Of the mouth of Kansas and
run up the Missouri river TO the mouth of Running
Water river, and would pursue that stream to the
head OF It's northern branch, and thence due West to
the Wind river range, and the main chain of the
Rocky Mountains to the head of Kansas, and follow
ing that stream to the mouth of the Pawnee Fork,
would pass by the heads of Neosha and Usage riv-
ers, again 10 the mouth of the Kansas.
1.-The eastern section Of the region embraced by
these boundaries, from the Missouri river westward
for two hundred and fifty miles, is Of great agrcuItu-
raj beauty and facilities, thckly timbered on nume-
rous tributaries of the Kansas, Usage, and Neosha
ivers and in fertility equal to the best land in Mis-
sour. From the limit of this fertile portion west
ward for the space of 400 miles, the country is en-
tirely covered with rich grasses, which improve in
quantity and quality up TO the snow of the noun
tains.
The limits Of this territory include the extreme
head Of navigation Of the Arkansas all the good
lines of communication with California The road
from frontier to the Mexican boundary and San
ia Fe, and also excellent and more direct pass 10
Oregon discovered by recent exploration, about one
hundred and fifty miles southwark Of the great South
Pass.
although the number of inhabitants engaged in
agriculture and other pursuits within those limits do
moi afford the amount Of population at all adequate
at present, TO the formation of full and com pIete
territorial government yet such an inehoate or pre-
liminary organization might be now adopted as would
be necessary to extend the control and authority OF
the General Government and to throw it's protection
around our emigrants to Oregon in their passage
through this country"