The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-03

conflicting grants made under the Mexican law,
both before and since the late war. These grants
in many instances, are very loosely given, and il
other instances the authority itself may be ques
toned. Upon these vague grants it is commended
by many here that we have the right to squat, anc
that we should be protected by presumption laws
All of these are questions that will involve high
points of law, and will require not only the bes
talents but the severest integrity, the temptation
TO speculation and peculation will be overwhelming
knowledge of the Spanish language, and of Span
sh law, will Of course be necessary; and, in thi.
view of the case, it would be well perhaps 10 an
point one or two of the commissioners if the com
mission be organized by Congress, from the Stat.
OF Louisiana. II has been suggested by some tina
the Judge OF the supreme court, who will have his
circuit IN this territory, should be ex-ofcio one Of
these commissioners.
| MINERAL LANDS.
| Two modes of dsposing Of the mineral lands are
spoken of here. One consists in establishing a min
in the territory, and compelling all who dig on the
Government lands to coin their money here; and
they propose to charge some three or four per cent
above the ordinary yield on the coming. The
other plan Isl to lay off these lands in quarter sec.
tons lots and let them out to companies or ndi
vduals. for short periods of time and at prices va
rying with the richness of the deposits The ex-
penses Of the first system will consist in the FIRST
outlay for the establishment of the Mint the sala-
ries of its officers, and the salaries of large num-
Der of excise officers to prevent the gold from being
struggled out of the country. The latter plan be-
sides the expenses of surveying the lands, will re-
quire the organization ola body of civil officers SIM
liar to the one by which our public lands are now
Sold
The gold here is still abundant, though the ave.
rage yield of single mans labor per day is much
smaller than when the deposits were first discov-
cred. We hear daily of instances of extraordinary
success among few individuals: but we hear of
many instances at the same time of disappoint-
ment and distress. And many instances have oc-
CURED under our own eye of men returning home
in disgust, or to their former avocations The
labor of digging gold is represented as being most
severe Even old canal dggers and railroad
excavaors complain of the severity of this sort of
labor In this view of the case is to be regretted
that so many brokendown gentlemen and nice
young men should have emigrated to this country
They entirely useless here to themselves or the
community. Mechanics and laborers are the men
most wanted here just now
The amount of gold which will be dug this year
is variousy estimated here but the general opin-
ion, as far as can make it out, sets it down at
about $4,000, 900. The last discoveries of any
amount which have been made are on the southern
branches Of the San Joaquin, and all of the latter
discoveries tend in that direction.
EXTENT OF THE GOLD REGION
am satisfied myself, and many here concur
with me, that this whole country, from the head
waters of the Sacramento TO the Rio ella, and on
both sides of the Sierra Nevada, is one grand de-
post of gold, but only Of sufficient richness in par
ticular localities to warrant mining 1t has been
discovered several miles in the interior from San
Diego, as also not far from Los Angeles Just be-
fore our own quarters here ! saw an Indian on the
Sunday before last wash out from dirt which he
scraped up from the street in his hands fifty cents
worth of gold dust in the space of half an hour
Mr.. Harrison, the collector, few days ago picked
out Of one of the adobes Of the custom-house, with
his penknfe, the amount of fifty cents He did
this in very short time, for his own amusement.
The building is about fifteen years old.
QUICKSILVER.
A rich quicksilver mine has been discovered near
Santa Clara, but the present owner, an English
man. is unable to obtain hands TO work it,
There is great cry now here for coal, and if |
could discover coal mine in this country should
consider myself richer than if had the richest pla-
Ger Of the Feather river. Deposits resembling coal,
and combustible to great degree, have been found
in many places in the vicinity Of San Diego and
along the coast north Of that point But it is not
pure COAL and after the bituminous matter is burned
out the bulk Of cinders is nearly large the coal
was before it was burned. These evidences Of
coal formation appear with more or less frequency
until they reach Oregon, where the best coal is
found in abundance. Mr.. Tyson, a geologist
from Baltimore, arrived here in the Oregon. He
has paid much attention to this subject and will ac
company General Smith in his contemplated tour
through the country, and am satisfied that his ex-
animation will result in the discovery Of this much
desired mineral.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The extraordinary state Of the markets in this
country, as reported IN the newspapers before left,
still exists ! will mention a few disointed in
stances. A person showed me few days ago
bushel Of onions, Of the ordinary size, for which
he paid $50, and which he was retailing at sh-
hing piece. Board al the principal hotel here is
S. per day, t2l per week, and ts4 per month.
Servants hire for 500 to $50 per month. Labor
ers from IS TO $40 day and mechanics from SIC
TO $40. had a man pointed out to me the other
day, as light wagon driver Of Messrs. Howard,
Mellus & Co, who receives $500 per mouth for
driving his wagon when he furnishes neither horse
nor wagon Houses and lots here are selling and
renting at the most exorbitsnt prices. One hundred
dollars month for a single room is the ordinary
price. wooden house in process Of erection was
pointed oot TO me few days since by Mr.. Plume,
Of New Orleans, which should say contained about
four small rooms. He informed me that a gambler
had offered to rent IL at sos day, to advance 200
cash his rent and as soon ar that nmoun, should