Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-04-07
NUMBER 81,

are withheld from sale. and although with
held, are settled upon for agricultural pur-
poses only, and valuable farms made up
on them. Being reserved, they are sub.
jet TO be leased, and as in that region,
and If is peculiar to it, the richest soil Of
ten conceals the hest ores, adventurers
are found willing to take leases on such
lands, under the authority of which thew
enter upon the enclosures of settlers and
commence prospecting for mineral
This gives rise to controversy, irritation,
and expensive litigation, and has contrib
uted very much to make the system rs O.
dious as it is. On the other hand, some
of the richest mines have escaped the no.
ticc of the agents, and have been sold as
other government lands, out Of which al
SO arise controversy and litigation, for un-
der the law, patents for land as well as
entries, are void If 1t can be shown that
such land was known at the time of the
entry and purchase TO contain n lead
mlne Attorneys are feed BY the United
States 10 file 4 bill IN chanCery 10 set a.
side the patent and entry on the alIega-
ton of previous knowledge. The cause
IS continued in court for years. and by the
time the government recover it, if that Is
the result, it IS exhausted of its ore, and
yalueless. Suits fer tresSPass are COM
menCed, and bills of Injunction filed a.
gaInst those who dig for orc without H.
cense or lease; for the agents are instuc-
ted 10 adopt all legal measures to prevent
persons from working the mines without
leases
The Committee, after making an exhih-
It Ola " corps OF federal office holders who
had been introduced into that region with
out the warrant Of express law, the num-
Der of whom, and their emoluments and
powers, could be increased at the pleas
uce of the War Department" contin-
lie -
Your Committee cannot bat believe,
that under the operations of such a sys-
TEN, setting aside all consideration of the
want Of laws to regulate it, the onward
prosperity ofthat section Of our country
cannot but be greatly retarded and they
have heard, with no surprise, that 1t has
met for years with wide, extended, uni
yersal dissatisfaction, and given birth to.
much exasperated feeling.
" In Iowa, the system has not been
carried on with corresponding industry.
The agents of the government have not
met with a friendly reception there
The local courts having decided that the
second section of the act of 1907 does
not authorize leasing the lead mines In
that territory, general refusal TO take
leases has been manifested. Your Com
mlttee have examined the provisions Of
that section, and, in their Judgment, the
courts are correct In the construction
they have placed upon it. No authority
whatever is given by it TO lease lead mines
in general; but only such tracts of land
containing them as were actually occu-
pred at the time of the enactment Of the
law, and nothing more.
"In addition to this. it may be stated
as a fact necessary 10 be known, that the
richest portions Of these mineral lands nre
claimed by the legal representatives of
Julien Dubuque, deceased, as having
been coded to him, while n subject of
Spain, by the Fox tribe OF Indians, at a
l165. A grant from the Spanish COVER
nor Of Louisiana, the Baron de Caron-
dclet, is also said TO have been made TO
him in 1886 Tor the same, then known rs
" The Spanish Mines - that he worked
them for many years, and died IN pos
session Of iheIn. On them many settlers
have made valuable improvements, as up
on other supposed parts of the national
domain, eXPectiDgto purchase them when
offered for sale. They are reduced to tho
necessity Of defending their possessions,
not only against the intrUsions ofgovcrn-
meUt agents and their lcssecs, but also a.
gainst such suits IS the assignees Of Du-
buquc may choose to bring.
d" No interest that the government can
possibly have in their mineral resources
IS deemed By your Committee Of sufficient
importance TO justify any longer the res.
friction upon the sale; for if the sum to-
tai Of the average annual receipts derived
from the mines in Illinois, wisconsin, and
Iowa, was equally apPortioned among
them, the amount received from Iowa
would not much exceed one thousand
dollars per annum. IN the event Of a
sale, The purchasers under the govern
ment viii have a fair opportunity Of liti-
eating their titles thus to be acquired with
those claiming under Dubuque, and
long, irritating and yexed question be ju-
d.c.ously and finally settled.
Your committe believing that it is
bad policy 20 introduce or continue in any
State or Territory in which the public
lands arc, any system, the effect of hich
shall be to establish the relation of land
lord and tenant between the federal gov
eminent and our citizens. Very much
might be said against it, but it will occur
at once, to every one, as dangerous re-
.1Ioa, and which may become so strong