New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-08-15

region itself
About 1912. these obstacles having beea par
italy overcome By the approach OF Population and
Commerce. few adventures began 70 appear on
the South shore of the Lake, principally from the
Lead Mines of Illinois. This region had .iti'e
before been attached to Michigan rather againsther
will as sort of compensation Tor what she was
compelled to surrender TO Ohio or her Eastern
border The Government was beginning or prepar-
inc to survey it, and had by law entrusted il to the
care and management OF the War Department, in
the special charge Of the Ordnance Bureau b
this Department and Bureau, formal PERMITS were
first granted to the pioneer explorers to search tor
Minerals or Ores, and when any one had fixed on
location. LeaSe was issued TO him. Tor tract not
exceeding three miles square, to be marked out BY
himself. Said lease was for three years, with a
covenant Of two renewals for like periods condition.
ed that the miner should do all the work take all the
risk and give the Government six per cent. Of the
entire proceeds Of his mining
That this system of individual surveys leases
Of large tracts Government scniorage &c. was a
very bad one, need not be argued. Every body as
sents it. But it must be borne III mind that it is
system established by the Government itself,
through its accredited agents. The miners-ex-
plorers, rather-had no choice bat to conform to
such conditions were imposed on them. They
have right to be considered not as squatters nor
ntruders of any sort but citizens invited thither
| by the agents Of the Government, who have freely
| invested their labor and means i'll a dubious and ar
duous undertaking. by which whatever their sue
cess the Government certain to profit either in
wealth or in knowledge.
But the explorers were generally poor men. and
opening new Mines, in region where nothing is
produced for man nor beast. where bushcl of pota-
toes or 3 hors shoe could not be obtained within
hundreds OF miles was an enterprise beyond the
means of poor laborers They were constrained to
solicit the Investment of capital in their several
undertakings to which end they generally created
Stock Companies, based on the ownership OF their
several leases or locations and sold or gave away
part Of the shares they could as to interest
men of means at distance in their operations.
Such is the origin OF the Copper Speculation
modified in various instances by the circumstances
of the case
Operations in earnest were commenced as early
as 1874 but in n region where there was not an
inn store, dwelling. backsmith's shopnor any thing
of the sort within reach either by road or navisa
bic water, where cattle could not be kept for want
OF sustenancc, though every mile OF road must be
made at heavy expense, such work must go on
slowly We believe mineral besides specimens
was brought down till last year and very little
then. We have heard that the Governments SIX
per cent up to this Spring amounted to less than
two hundred dollars
81, tb,1 'rno of
raj Agents. Commissioners Clerks travelling Mes
sengcrs, &c. had become quite an item. The con
hcting claims OF the various explorers and permit
tees was keeping the War Department in perpetu
al no, water The Leasing System had been pret
" thoroughly tried out IN the lead region and had
proved an utter failure. Every dollar received by
the Government it not less than four while the
people were demoralized by perpetual evasions Of
the Rent stipulation The President, at the open
ing of the late Session, urged Congress to order
sale of the whole Mineral region as speedily as
possible.
Congress neglected to act and the Coppermen
did not trouble themselves about the matter They
were digging away, building huts, opening roads,
exploring &c when report was transmitted to
Congress from the Attorney General, covering his
Opinion that tie trkole proceedings Of the War De
pqHment IN leasing the Mineral Lands 'caS '"0"-
Mor;ea By lar, that tie Leases ecre all ocd'@ ana
,rortklcSS and tie rights o the IesSeeS 'chGerer hey
might BE- ,rere citout any legal protectto" rhoerer
This Mt once put new face on the affair Com
panies which had invested from One Thousand to
One Hundred Thousand Dollars each IN their sew
crol undertakings and who were calculating con
fdentv on an ultimate rich return for their outlay
found their investments struck valuclesS at al!
events unstable, at a blow. The agents Of several
of them repaired or wrote TO " Washington, begging
Congress TO do something IN the premises which
would enable them to obtain farther instaments
from their stockholders and so prosecute their sew
era enterprises. And, as the President had urged
and in Special Message repeated his conviction
that sale Of the Lands on equitable terms would
be best for all parties, the Michigan Lesisla-
ture had unanimously protested against having
the Federal Government perpetual landlord and
rcnt.cxacter for large portion OF her soil and had
! taken measures to enforce that Protest--the MIN
inS Interest generally united IN asking Congress 10
DO what the President and the State OF Michigan
had already recommended. Such the origin OF
the bill which as it passed the Senate, took these
lands out OF the charge OF Inc w RI Depalthch a!i4
placed them in that OF the General Land Office,
directing that they should be prepared for sale and
sold as soon as practicable. as other public lands
are sold by public auction to the hshes, bidder first
attcrwayd TO be open private entry like any other
lands l, farther provided that all existing Leases
should be valid for three Years. but withou, the re
newa.a coyenanted, in lieu (which the essehoders
VINO had made valuable Improvements should have
the privilege buying all the legal Subdivisions &C
coriins TO the L. s surveys o; their several locs-
lions at the minimum price OF s. s5 per acre but ii
they took any quantity less than the whole they
must pay - 50 per acre. Such was the substance
OF the bill
1t orisins,ed in the Senate and passed that body
without opposition 1t was strongly opposed IN the
House, however, especially by Mr.. McClernand,