Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-08-12


the management OF those lands known as Mineral
Reserves, and entertaining, as We long have,
settled conviction that this policy is mistaken in
principle, and unjust lis operation, il is thought
incumbent upon US to present, in connected view,
the causes that have decided our course--causes
tina, must sooner later, inevitably prove the o.
veiihrow Of the Leasing System.
one OF the mos, prominent and undertaking
traits in the policy Of Tho National Government,
has been thai Of presenting every possible induce
{ men, to western immigration. The low price Of
the Public lands, the FORESTS, the soil and the
mines, have all and seeerally been held out as an
incentive to lie eIngrant Now ifa portion OF
this land Is 10 be kept Of Market it proper to
enquire both for what purpose il has been thus
served, and whether this purpose has baenIsachad
by The result The answer 10 these questions is
ecleaf beyond doubt. A deficient Treasury was
The motive, and the rent revenue arising from the
leasing of the reserves the only object ysh order
10 make this valid reason, il must be shown, con-
clusiyey, both that this revenue is deriyable, aud
that il vastly oveueaches the expenses conse-
queni upon It's management and collection We
have before Us data upon which 70 base sure es-
innate, in an ngepiousy drawn "leiter from the
Secretary Of War, transmitting a report Of the Of
fear in charge Of the Ordnance Bureau, relative to
The Lead Mines on the Upper Mississipp," pub
lished IN the Galena Gazette Of March l7ih. q
"Jhe total amount shown, by the books Of this
Office, TO have been paid since the establislm OF
the present agency in lsIl, up to the 3ls Decem-
Der last, exclusive OF the compensation oil mo SUI
perintendcnt and agent above mentioned, - hfeen
hundIcd and sixty four dolaS and thirty-iour
cents tsk il
"second The amount Of rents which have
been collected Oh leases granted since the estab-
lishment the present agency al Gaiena, In lS4l,
10 the 3Ist of December last, has been ID, 924
pounds of lead, aud portion OF the rents duo on
those lands has been paid in money. IL is proper
10 state, however, that the sum Of 81 ,suS,l4 ID
cash, and 62910 pounds Of lead, have been receive
cd iol old balances due prior TO lSllY f.sd
This shows an actual expenditure beyoud re-
eeipts, ps the time specified, Of $243,S0 cash, and
Sl51a,25 in lead al S2,50 per 400 lbs, making
total or dead loss TO the Government 81 Slsle,05.
This time comprises space of little more than
ole year--a year in which no effort was spared |
on the part Of the Superintendanls to give the mat
Tor the most favorable colorng possible, and may be
fairly taken as the maximum rate Of revenue All
sing from the Leasing System, for all coming time
That the Miner has done his full share, and
more Than hi. share, IL rendering the western do
main marketable, is conclusvoly proven by the
popnlousness, Of the Mining District, aud the COM
para,iys large amount Of entries, and the value OF
those entries, within the limits Of mat District.
II then the Government has no excuse, cI'her
IN policy or justice, for Withholding the Mineral
lanfs from sale, why are they moi sold! The fea-
SON "a as partly with the fact that those upon whom
,hs Government has relied for correct information
il, regard to the pTodac,isoness and consequence OF
this mines, have either been misled, os else they
have conceived II their especial place and duty to
vastly ovorvauc their Importance, and partly, per-
haps mostly referablo the want Of union and con-
cert among tho miners themselves. y 4 eau
This last and active cause for the con,inuance Of
the Leasing System is one which demands nnhesita-
ting Investigation. All who are intimate with the
mining community are aware Of, the existence oftwo
classes, nearly equal in number, bu, widely sspar-
nted in respee, TO denti,- Of Interests, The one
class connect other pursuits with mining, aud be-
come citizens as web as residents. Their objeo,
ID 10 unite aud equally advance the various inter
csts Of the community. The other class have an
exclusive avocaticn and an exclusive Interest
However high may be their regard fos the country
or society at isrge,i Ia here made to su6ssfse
al exclusive purpose. IL isa limited number of
This latter class whose leases cover the entire Of
the valuable mineral reserves, thereby establishing
n monopoly destitute even OF speeiousness,- bare
faced and Indefsnsibe. The Leasing System SIS
rgh, into their handsn--the very thing they want,
aud, in course, the sey thing they gladly and fee
ly support. The ground covered by these leases
is, to grea, extent, snb-leased, and the higas't
,ea,s efthe eo,iairy charged thereon.
I, is this elassof Miners, with the devoted ana
patriotic John Flanagan at ,hsir head, who as
ready upon tho ir,t indication of the jeopardy OF
their s'iaesinaels rights" to plunge into the field
Of Intriguing aud boisterous opposition; assemble /
their operative Miners Meetings, array their res ,
oluuons, laudlng the equitable and enliss'sned /
policy of Government, and depreeaiag, with
burning zeal, those very svils which the Leasing /
System has Implanted, and which they 50 aria-
oaSly and unspanngy cultivate. ~
FIVE hal room, /, would be an easy task to
show how ruiasnty calculated Is this state Of
,Aiass, to hssn upon The county one s,srai,y Of
hroils and lawsuits. turmoil sad dsorasr-a las, OF
lis iafesng their heasies, iejuiy upoa the moral
tone Of society.
we complains Of and oppose ire Leasing Sys-
ten then, hceanse u is founded in neither equity