Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-04-27
TIL f TEL E.G R A 7. H.
From the New York Times.
The Nebraska Region.

The Nebraska Region
Where is this Nebraska about which all in
telligent people are quarrelling? What are
its boundaries? What kind of country is
it? Is it large enough to warrant so great
an expenditure of valuable Indignation? Is
the land worth having, except for the fact
that it is in the very centre of our States
On the maps which were made ten years
ago, all that country lying north of Texas to
the British Possessions, and between the Mis-
souri, River and the Rocky Mountains, was
laid down as the ''Indian" and the "Missou-
ri Territories 1t is about the same tract
which is now recognized under the general
name of Nebraska.
For, there are two distinct uses and mean
ings attached to that word. The first Ne
braska bill, introduced in the early part of
January, by Senator Douglas, under the pro-
posed Nebraska Territory, included all that
space lying between the Rocky Mountains
and the Missouri River and between the Bri-
tish Possessions and the 26 30th parallel of
latitude, which is not within the limits of
New Mexico; that is. the southern boundary
was to be line drawn directly west from
thesouthwest corner of Missouri, till it strikes
the New Mexican line, thence north to the
30th parallel, and thence west to the High
lands of the Rocky Mountains. But this al
lowed room for the opposition of Senators
who were anxious to escape the direct Slavery
issue of the question, on plea of the rights Of
the Indians to large portion of that terri
tory. So, about week afterwards, the Com
mittee, for which Mr.. Douglas spoke, brought
it in so amended as to create two Territories
instead of one, and having not embraced
within either so much of the original Indian
Territory as lay between the 36 30th and 37th
parallels of latitude. Under this amendment
the Territory of Kansas occupies the portion
between the 8th and 10th parallels, while Ne
braska embraces the remainder. Inasmuch,
however, as there are 10 different provisions
made for the government of the two Terrific
rles, 1t is common to speak of Nebraska as
embracing the whole region.
And how extended is this tract? Take
your boys schoolmap, reader, and mark it's
boundaries. 1t reaches from Texas to the
British Possessions, and from the Western
border of our civilized settlements, to the
snowy line, which through summer and win
ter, marks the course of the Rocky Noun
tains. 1t is the central portion of the whole
property of the United States The Platte
or Nebraska River rising in the Rocky Noun
tains, runs through its whole extent eastward
to the Missouri. They say that it is not navi-
gable to steamers for more than forty miles
from its mouth. though it has width of from
one to three miles. Most of its waters are
drained through the Mississippi into the Gulf
of Mexico. But from its mountain peaks
other rills rush downward through the Great
Lakes and the st. Lawrence to the Northern
Ocean. While from the same peaks are others
that pour through the Columbia to the North
Pacific, others through the great Colorado of
the West into the Gulf of California. and
others STILL that empty into the Great Basin
AS to the character of its soil, and its natural
resources, we have almost every thing yet to
learn. The notes of Fremont and the few
other travels who have crossed it, are the
'meagre lessons so far afordedus. Some have
likened it to Eden for beauty saying that in
large portions of it, the land is of the rich
est quality, and capable of the highest pro-
duction without being exhausted. But we
know that the Great Desert is included in it's
limits, and doubtless it is as varied with bar
renness and fertility as we would presume it
to be from the variety of mountain and val
ley mapped in it. Gentlemen looking at it
from an extreme Southern aspect, assure us
that it must always remain an agricultural
country. The products of the farm will al
ways be abundant there, but that for lack of
the natural channels of communication, eve
ry other department of industry will languish
"a point which, desirable it may seem in one
of its political relations, stands in particular
need of confirmation. The area comprised is
not less than 100000 square miles. Fifty
Massachusetts might be placed side by side.
and occupy no more space than it. The
Thirteen States which originally constituted
our confederation were not as large as this
immense region; and it is not less than the
whole of France, Spain and Italy together.
Ut comprises not much less than the whole of
the six New England States, the four Middle
States, Virginia, the two Carolinas, Ohio,
Kentucky and Tennessee together. tits near
ly twice as large as two Territories of Oregon
and Washington. The whole of our great
lakes could lie within it and have ample room
dor as many more without interference. If
were all sunk at sea that would settle over it
would need but narrow border to make it
as large as the Gulf of Mexico. 1t must be
possessed of every climate enjoyed in any of
the existing Free States, for it's Southern line
is about the same as the Southern line of Vir-
ginia; and its Northern, when protracted
Eastward, intersects the frosty cliffs of New
foundland.