478 APPENDIX. 
established out of the northern half of Oregon. In the summer 
of 1857 a constitutional convention was held, and drafted a 
State constitution, which was submitted to popular vote on 
November 9,1857. With the constitution were submitted the 
questions whether slavery should be legalized in the State, and 
whether free negroes should be permitted to reside in it. The 
result was favorable to the constitution, and against slavery 
and free negroes. On February 14, 1859, the State was admit- 
ted by act of Congress under the constitution adopted in 1857. 
Oregon has been troubled with many Indian wars. From 1845, 
when the disturbances began, until the present time, there has 
always been a hostile feeling between the whites and the red 
men. This hostility most of the time did not amount to an 
open warfare, but simply led to the shooting down of aman or 
two occasionally. A state of affairs very similar to this still 
continues in the eastern part of Oregon. Neither red nor 
white man is safe alone while persons of the other color are 
near. In 1855 the hostility broke out into a general war, 
which lasted more than a year, and led to a multitude of 
skirmishes and many deaths; but no serious battle was 
fought. In 1858 there was another war, but it was confined 
to the eastern -portion of Oregon and Washington, and little 
damage was done by it to the industry, trade, or white popu- 
lation of either Territory. The gold-mines of the Rogue River 
Valley in Southern Oregon were discovered in 1851, but not 
much worked previous to 1853. 
WASHINGTON. 
WASHINGTON, an organized Territory belonging to the 
United States, and occupying the northwest corner of its do- 
main. It lies between latitude 45° and 49° north and longitude 
110° and 125° west, and is bounded north by British Columbia, 
east by the Territories of Dacotah and Nebraska, south by 
those of Utah and Nevada and the State of Oregon, and west 
