894 NEGOTIATIONS IN PROGRESS. [1844. 



her Britannic majesty's minister plenipotentiary, relative to the rights 

 of the respective nations to Oregon. The report of the secretary of 

 war, accompanying this message, contained a recommendation, for 

 the establishment of a territorial government over the region traversed 

 by the river Platte, between the States of Missouri and Arkansas 

 on the east, and the Rocky Mountains on the west, and for the for- 

 mation of military posts on the line of route from those States to 

 Oregon and California. Agreeably to this recommendation, bills 

 were introduced into the House of Representatives for establishing 

 such a government over the country above described, which was to 

 be called the Nebraska Territory, and for extending the jurisdiction 

 of its courts over Oregon ; but they were not made the subject of 

 debate during the session. A bill for the immediate occupation of 

 Oregon under a territorial government, and for abrogating the Con- 

 vention of 1827, in the manner provided by that agreement, was 

 however passed in the House of Representatives, but it was not dis- 

 cussed in the Senate. With regard to the measures last mentioned 

 nothing will be here said, in addition to what has already been ob- 

 served. The propositions for establishing a territorial government 

 over the Nebraska country, and for extending the benefit of its laws 

 to Oregon, appear to have combined every legislative provision 

 required by present circumstances, to maintain the rights of the 

 United States, and to ensure protection to their citizens beyond the 

 Rocky Mountains. On the 19th of February, 1845, the President 

 informed Congress, by a message, that considerable progress had 

 been made in the negotiation with Great Britain, which had been 

 carried on in a vefry amicable spirit, and there was reason to hope 

 that it might be speedily terminated ; but nothing farther was com- 

 municated on the subject during that session, or during the extra 

 session of the Senate in March. 



The history of the western section of North America has now 

 been brought down to as late a period as the information obtained 

 respecting that part of the world could warrant. Accounts have 

 been presented of all the expeditions, discoveries, settlements, and 

 other events, worthy record, and of all the claims and pretensions 

 advanced by civilized nations, and all the disputes, negotiations, and 

 conventions between their governments, relative to these territories. 



It has been shown that the discovery of the west coast of the 

 continent, certainly as far north as the 49th degree of latitude. 



