The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-04

year alter the lands were pfoclaimcd 10 be sold
4O7 $40 o. 100 acres bought, bringing into The
treasury upwards OF hafa million Of dollars. Thss.
statements were Official, and their truth beyond
question. But gentlemen may think that the mines
OF Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa arc more val
liable than those Of Missouri were. Such was
not the fact. He spoke OF the mines ;hnd would give
some OF the reasons upon which he based his asset
zion. The Missouri mines are 5 o miles nearer 10
market than those OF Iowa, Wisconsin, and ILLINOIS,
The cost Of transportation therefore much great
eT from the latter than the former This cost was
greatly enhanced, because Of the distractions which
the "rapids" interpose TO the navigation OF the Up
per Mississippi; and by the shorter period Of nSyi-
CATION, by reason Of the low water 10 the summer,
and the closing of the iveI by ice in the winter re-
ducng the whole duration OF safe annual navigation
over the rapids TO about six months. In Missouri,
timber, essential ingredient IN the manufacture Of
lead, was much more abundant, The climate mllder,
and navigation uuobstructed during the greater part
OF the season. Advantages which all who know
anything the working OF mines, cannot but
are very great
The government the United States, (ssid Mr..
d. according 10 the Official statement from the
Commissioner of the General Land Otice, have 10.
served and withheld from sale, in the State Of ILL.
nols on account Of its supposed lead mineral char
acIer, 2i2, 400 acres Of land IN Wisconsin, $40 $50
acres; and in Iowa, 2S5, 1856 acres; making in the
total 100 l5 acres an area, IN superficial extent
greater than that embraced by the State Of Rhode
50 q
taliyes on this Aoor and two in the other wing Of
this Capitol. And upon this extent Of country
there estimated 10 be at tins time thirty or forty
thousand Inhabitants, with voting population OF
ten twelve thousand; and with the exception ofxO
three town SITES and few other tracts Of land that
have been sold, there freeholders within the
district; and the people residing within those dis
trcs might truly be said to be tenants al will Of hla
government Could any American legislator con
template the situation Of things existing in that ch
and desirable region Of country without regret ard
without admitting that it is contrary TO the spirit
and genius Of our institutional
Mr.. ID. said that gentleman placed entirely an
oyer-estmate upon the value Of those mineral lands
And II they were valuable, they should remember
that il was the miner that had made them so. Ii
vas by his skl his enterprise, and his labor that
these mines had been opened. In looking al the
public documents that Congress had had published
10 reference the Missouri mines, he had discover
ed amongst them a letter from Judge John Rice
Jones, written at the request Of the Commissioner
Of the General Land Office, in November, 1916
Judge Jones wasa gentleman Of extensive informa-
ton and most accurate observation, and what he
said Of the manner in which those mines were dis
covered was 80 much TO the point, and so well sx-
pressed, that Mr. ID. said he would read short ex-
tract from his letter for the information Of the House
Judge Jones says:
IAN least Of the mines were dis.
covered BY private individuals at great expense and L.
~
times a company Of men In partnership into the
woods and having liked on spot which IN Their opinion
greater OF less depth according TO circumst~noes some
times hut seldom the first sl, be succeeded not he
until last be absndoned the project in despair or for The
want OF funds and numbers OF instances have eurrrd
being able to make discovery OF mineral In TACT not one
10 hfy has succeeded When fortunate enough to do so
the inv rsbe practice Of the spanish government to
compensate him by the grant Of part -four aPens OF the
land, including his discovery"
Mr.. ID. said that no grants, no bountes wer,
conferred by the bill now under consideration. Ii
was carefully drawn, and was almost an exact copy
of the Missouri law. He hoped that il would pass,
and that the miners and farmers would have an OPP
portunIty TO purchase and to become the owners Of
the lands upon which they had made their loca.
tons.
Mr.. R. SMITH said he did not rise to make
speech, his colleagues, tMr. McCLrRSASD and
Mr.. HoGE,l and others who had advocated the
passage Of the bill, had perhaps said all that was
necessary TO insure lie passage without further de-
lay. He would, however, say that, aside from the
duty Of the government TO relieve these settlers upon
the lands called mineral lands" from the state Of
uncertainty and suspense, under which they had so
long suffered, that a matter of expedency alone,
the government ought sell these lands provided
in the bill now under consideration What, asked
Mr.. s., was the question for the committee TO de-
termne, in order to do justice to all the parties in
| feresteds Why, simply TO ascertain the value Of
these lands, compared with other lands in the same
States and Territories, not reserved mineral
| lands.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, all who have had an op-
porunity Of ascertaning the proceeds resulting from
labor bestowed upon farming lands, and comparing
the results with equal amount Of labor performed
in digging for lead ore, would bear him out in the
assertion that the labor employed in farming, yield
ed better return or profit, than that employed in
mining for lead ORE And is it not a well settled
| ia lanho all ood. AZ
fered for sale in the market, valuable only in
proportion as they are capable of yielding
profit TO the purchaser, contribute to his
comfort or happiness! Ii is true that some
few men make fortunes by mining; but
where one case of this kind occurs thousands will
be found who have made nothing. Mining, like
lotteries, is exciting and uncertain. An occasional
prize drawn by lucky individual, stimulates thou
sands to embark in the hazardous speculation Of
purchasing lottery tickets. So it is in mining; the
discovery of one valuable lead mine sets thousands to
digging, each hoping to be equally fortunate In the
discovery Of wealth. 1t is only necessary for gen.
temen to examine for themselves districts of coun
try exclusively devoted to agriculture, and then dis
tricts (of the same extenC engaged in mining, and
they will readily see the superiority and greater
profits of the farming community over that of the
mining districts The farming lands yield more
sure and certain return. Wealth is more equally
distributed among the masses, and although YOU
may not find any more rich in the farming dis
trlct as some one man in the mining district you
will find very few who do not make good living
Mr. s. said he lived more than three hundred miles
from the mineral lands in northern Illinois, and his
constituents had no immediate interest in the pro-
visions of the bill under consideration, but he wish
ed to justice done to the settlers who had eone
on in good faith and improved these lands, trusting
to the justice of the government to give them
title TO the fruits Of their labor Mr.. s. considered
the whole policy of the government in relation to
the public domain had been unwise and nndicious
and that it was high time that a more Just and
more liberal policy should be pursued.
II was true, as stated by his colleague, Mr.
HoGE that but small portion ofthe lands reserved
as mineral lands, were actually known to contain
mineral. Most of these lands were considered val
liable for their farming properties only, and he
asked if it was not unjust to these cutyhtors of the
soil to demand of them five dollars per acre for land
not good, not as favorably situated, for market
as other farming lands sold for 81 25 cents per acre
in other portions Of the same States and Terrific
ries' Many Of these lands might now be worth five
ill