The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-13 00:00:00

Missouri Mines.

The rich mines of useful (and perhapsprecious) metals in
Missouri have often been referred to in general terms, yet
in a very indefinite manner, and for this reason, not one-
tenth of the richest mines are yet known, or even disco-
vered, and to-day there are thousands of acres of good
mineral lands offered for sale at a merely nominal price,
in which will be found rich mines enough to make large
fortunes, yet neither the seller nor buyer know anything
of these facts.

Added to her vast mineral and agricultural wealth,
mild climate, noble rivers, and central position, all most
inviting to the industrious immigrant, we ha vo good
reason to believe that large paying wells of petroleum
will be found in Missouri.

Before anything was known of this rich source of
national wealth, we travelled from Warsaw to Oseola,
Missouri, and were there strongly and forcibly impressed
with the strangely irregular hills along our border, they
from their great irregularity having the appearance of
being formed by some great convulsion of nature. Since
the discovery of oil a recollection of them was brought
back by articles in Forney's Press, describing the oil
regions of West Virginia. The description then given
was precisely similar to the country along the Osage and
in St. Louis county. Hence it is fair to infer that oil
will be found there, and in paying quantities.
Though some good indications of oil have been dis-
covered in North Missouri, in our mind the largest and
best wells will be found south of the Missouri River.

Little of practical scientific information has been pub-
lished touching the origin or formation of this new and
necessary source of wealth ; only this much is certainly
known, that when petroleum is found, three essential ele-
ments to its formation or production have previously
xisted there—namely, coal, salt, and lime. How these
ombine in the deep laboratory of nature to form this neces-
sary and valuable oil is not explained in any article we
have read or heard of, and, if known, the explanation is most
icarefully kept secret. Hence science has done absolutely
nothing in the direction of locating those deposits and ex-
plaining their origin.
de
The yield yield of oil at this time is not less than 12,000
barrels daily, and yetae advancesthh
oeowpdriiscoeoveryof
oil
aranthoewr
than lessens. Withdiscovered
f
use is also isee
r it, until it is now used for
many and various
foreign and home iposes other than light. The
rapidly increasing. For demandthese
hefors7 and consumption of it is
reasons
the duty of the State authorities it is, in our opinion,
b
and legitimate means, to institute, prosecute, and en-
courage such explorations and inquiries,as to lead
to the discovery of this rich and valuable
&c.,
source
wealth. Any sum which the State may
exnd of State
en-
courage such discoveries will soon bo repaid
ab
by totax
arising from the greatly. increased value of the lands.es
Again, the counties to whom was given (most unwisely
and improperly) large tracts of so-called swamp lands
should be required, as some small return for said gift
or grant, to have carefnlly prepared topographical and
geological surveys of their respective counties made,
and by some practical man, not, as heretofore, by
a theorist, dealing in splendid generalities and carefully
avoiding definite practical information.
Missouri has suffered much too long, and it is full time
every effort was made to place and keep her in that posi-
tion for which nature intended her, and of which slavery
and compromise so very long deprived her. There is ono
other article essential to the prosperity of St. Louis, that
is anthracite coal ; it is b3lievedit can and will be found
in what is known as the Ozark Ridge, or Mountains. Its
early discovery ought to be encouraged; its ore would
greatly lesson tho cost of iron castings.
Finally, we trust the coming Legislature will so far for-
get political squabbles as to give some time to the true
\interests of Missouri and her greatly needed material
prosperity.—Missouri Democrat.

A frightful attack of neuralgia in the face and
mouth cured by a few doses of MORISON'S PILLS, the vege-
table universal medicine of the British College of Health,
Euston-road, London, alter other means had failed. Sold
by the hygeian agents and all medicine venders.

Mr. Stansfeld, M.P., on Reform.

A town's meeting, on parliamentary! reform, was
held at Halifax, in the Oddfellows' Hall, last even-
ing ; the Mayor (Dr. Wightman) in the chair. The

meeting, which was an enthusiastic one, had been
convened " for the purpose of urging the Govern-
ment to bring forward a Reform Bill at the ap-
proaching session of Parliament." Mr. J. D.
Hutchinson moved the first resolution, which
was as follows :—That this meeting believes
the present time to be particularly favourable

for the introduction of a Reform Bill, and

trusts that, during the ensuing session of Parlia-
ment, her Majesty Government will bring for-

ward a measure to amend those defects in the re-

presentation which are admitted on all hands, and

which successive Ministries had declared themselves

anxious to remove." Mr. Akroyd, M.P., in se-
conding the motion, said opinions differed upon re-
form as on all other subjects on which men thought

earnestly and deeply,and this difference was a sign of
a healthy state of public opinion. Hitherto at least
there had been no predominant opinion on the part
of the working classes to force any particular measure
upon Government. Moreover, we had arrived at a
period peculiarly favourable to legislation. If any
measure could be introduced by the Government
which would call forth a general approval of the
working and middle classes, he should be ready to give
up any pre-conceived notions he might have on the
subject of reform. (Applause.) He would have
that measure so framed that, whilst it placed
the franchise on a broader and more solid founda-
tion, and gave the working classes their due share
of electoral power, it should at the same time afford
a full and fair representation of all classes without
giving any one class undue predominance. (Ap-
plause.) The resolution was passed. Mr. J. Snow-
den, a working man, moved :—" That this meeting,
believing the existing electoral system almost totally
excludes the working classes from the franchise, and
considering such exclusion an injustice, is of opinion
that the principal object of any reform bill which
may be brought forward should be to give the work-
ing classes their fair share in the representation."
(Hear.) _ _

Mr. J. STAxsFELD, M.P., on rising to second the
motion, was received with much warmth. He said
his townsmen had met once again upon that great
old question of reform—(hear)—that question
which was to most of us like an old battle-cry,
and an old affection. The inhabitants of Halifax
had met to act upon that question in some dif-
ferent cue, with some better hopes and clearer
views than those which they could venture to enter-
tain at any time during the last six years, in fact
since the period when he was first entrusted with a
share of speaking for his constituents in the House
of Commons. (Hear, hear.) Upon the causes
which had hitherto kept reform in abeyance, and
the causes which led reformers to think and hope
that at last a measure of reform might be car-
ried through Parliament, he should like to say a
few words, because he had to take his share,
as an individual, of the responsibility—an un-
willing responsibility—of the inaction of the late
Parliament. The administration of the late Lord
Palmerston was undoubtedly an interregnum upon
this question of reform. (" Painfully so.") He had
often felt it "painfully so." (A. laugh.) But it would
be a great mistake, and a mistake pregnant with
evil consequences to a liberal policy at the present
time, were he to suppose that during that adminis-
tration, with that exception, liberal policy had no
sway, and liberal ideas gained no victories, and made
no progress. He knew full well the great things that
had been accomplished. There was no doubt that
reform, the wing of our army—if he might use the
expression—had rested, and even piled its arms
(which was not quite the thing to do in the face of an

enemy) ; butit moved on with its otherforces, which

gained new positions, and held them, to the ad-
vantage of the country. (Hear.) lie would show
all this iu one moment. Look at the brilliant and the
pre-eminently successful financial policy of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer. (Applause.) Did not that
add immensely to the wealth and prosperity of the
country (hear, hear) and did it not indirectly, but
still palpably and sensibly, lighten the burden of
taxation upon the people ? Were there not some
direct and positive economies accomplished ?
Did not the late Parliament gain that great and
inestimable boon for the people, and for the
cause of all liberal progress—a cheap and untaxed
press? (Bear, hear.) Did they not pass the bill
which was necessary to follow up that French
treaty, the work of that first and greatest of the
apostles of free trade, the loss of whom the coun-
try so lately mourned? Though he said this last,
it was not the least of its merits—did not the
Government succeed in preserving this country in
conditions of neutrality and peace with the people
of the United States, when there might have been
the, danger of being dragged into a war, and on the
side of the slaveholder—(applause)—against men
who were our brethren ; men. who had shown
their capacity for using gigantic efforts, and
making gigantic sacrifices to preserve, as they
had preserved, the integrity of a re-united country,
and who had shown, in the hour of their victory, a
clemency such as the world had never before wit-
nessed. (Cheers.) That people had shown an
example to all the monarchies of the old world—a
capacity of returning to all the conditions of peace
by the disbanding of their naval and military forces,
retrenching their expenditure, and admitting the
rights even of those they conquered. This no other
nation in the world had as yet approached in its
history. (Applause.) So much for the general
liberal policy under the late Administration. It was

nevertheless true that as far as reform was con-
cerned, it rested entirely in abeyance ; the Ministry

did not fulfil its pledges ; the Parliament did not
grapple with the question upon which, and for the
solution of which, it was returned by the country.

(Hear.) Those were the facts. Some of their
Conservative friends had a theory about those facts.
It was a theory, a kind of fiction which it was not
easy to understand, but it possessed natural attrac-
tions to those who had been out of office and power

for some time, and who did not quite see their easy
return. He was not quite sure whether the Con-
servatives had not lost a little faith in that theory
of late. This was the theory—though the Liberal
party was in office, ',yet the Conservative party dic-
tated the policy of the Liberal Government. He
(Mr.Stansfeld) would direct attention to those mea-
sures which he had enumerated, and which consti-
tuted, as it were, the title deeds, for the gratitude
of the country, of the administration jof the late
Lord Palmerston. Was not every one of those
achievements, and the whole of that policy, opposed
by the Conservative party ? (Hear, hear.) The
Conservatives opposed the brilliant financial policy
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and did their
best to keep from the people free trade, the in-
estimable boon of a cheap press, and the French
treaty—(hear)—and it was no fault of that party
that the country was not dragged into a war with
the United States. (Applause.) But, how about
the question of reform ? He did not know why he
should quarrel with the Conservative party, if it
claimed the credit of having prevented reform. (A
laugh.) But he could not help thinking that, on the
eve of a new era, it was well not even to take those
little advantages in argument which he might, but to
endeavour to look at them full in the face, and re-
cognise the truth. Therefore he was at that meeting
scarcely Nere
to say that the Conservative party had not even the
m
aocicliuerrrietd any —f
proecvceasnitoinngonrewfohirmch.
There e r i
that subject came before Parliament that he did not
take some part in its discussion. He had never en-
deavoured to throw the exclusive burden of the pre-
vention of reform upon the Conservative ranks. He
had never, on the other hand, joined in the cry of
ministerial treason, as if the whole Liberal party had
been eager for the fray, but betrayed by those to
whom they had confided the power of leading them.
In the Liberal party of the late House of Commons
there was not that unanimous determination, essen-
tial to secure success. It must also be admitted that,
when that became evident the country permitted the
postponement of reform. What was the moral he
wished to draw from this? Reform was in abeyance
because the Liberal party and the country were not
ready to come to conclusions upon it. But all that
was now changed, and we seemed to be in a new