The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1849-02-20
CALIFORNIA GOLD MINES.
Mr. BENToN's SPEECH ON GOLD DUST AND
uHsI.4 '..-, LAND TITLES.

States to sell the gold waslings in Califor-
MIA only in two acre lots. Upon this feature
Of the bill Mr.. Benton remarked: ...
This is the principle--a sale in parcels of
two acres, after a valuation fxed-or these
goldwashings; for gold, | presume, is only
intended, al,housh the comprehensive word
mineral is u: ed--a word which comprehends
all The common and useful ores and metals.
coal, medicinal waters, iron, copper, lead,
tin. Under this bill moi merely ihe gold
washngs, but all the common and useful
metals, may be locked up from public use
until valued bysa mlncralogsl, and then sold
in two acre lots. Tie provision is evidently
intended for gold; but the wod mineral in.
cludcs all ores, all metals, all na'nral sub
stances cnp:ble Of chemical attraction. /,
is looscness and comprchcnsivcness oilan-
guoge not TO be tolerated in law. But
consider il as inended-aS confined 10 these
go|dwashings-and how unwise the idea of
selling them, and in two acres. and upon
valuation! As washings, they are brief and
transient, exhausted in few months or
years. The gold in these washings is a
temporary crop-as temporary as a crop of
grass, or harvest of acolns; and who would
think of selling the fee-simple where only
ore crop was TO be gathered! A mine is
one thing-a wash is another. Mining re-
quires great capial-a fee-simple estate
and large trait of land--and is wcrkhd for
an sg" or centuries. After these washings
are exhausted, mining may follow; and tha,
IS the time 10 sell the fee-simple, lut not in
patches of two acres. To the washer two
ACRES is an hundred times too much; to the
miner il is thousand times too little. 1t
suits nobody, and goes upon a wrong princ-
pie. 1t goes upon the principle that every
two acres is alike, and that the value can be
told by looking at it. No such thing. The
valut can only be told by digging, and many
two acres will contain 40 gold, and many
patches of tweaty or thirty fee, will contain
itch deposit. The object is TO fiad it, and
that is to be done by hunting-by going from
one place TO another-by trying many places
For this purpose it is not fee-simples in two
acres that are waited, but permits to hunt
and protection in the discovery when de,
post is found. This is The only rational
mode of working the gold washes. II is the
mode followed in all countries where they
exist.
These washings are called in .Spanisl
placer, from the Latin placerc, to please
because it is pleasing thing 10 find the gole
under ones feet. But it is transient pleas
ure. There is no fee-smple in it; there il
not even lease for year, month, week
or a day. The pleasure is soon gone, Ex
hausted placers now exist in New Mexico
formerly yielding much, now some twenty.
five or fifty cents day, and only pursued
by the poorest Mexicans. Regular mining
has followed there, aud is now yielding con
siderable quantities. These washings o
California are marvelously rich; for we have
to believe what is scertifed 10 US by SO many
witnesses: but they are not the richest ha
ever we're seen; far from ii. Those of Bra
iii, in the mountains back of Rio Jat eiro, il
the time of Lord Anson's voyage, say l0l
years ago, were far rctel, and yet they hav'
been exhausted so long that all memory 0
them is lost, and their history only lives il
old books. Two millions stelling-$lO
100000 were annually sent to Europe, 70
years, from these washings. They wer
worked by slaves, who, 10 secure their fdel
ily and industry, were usually allowed b.
their masters all the proceeds Of the da
above given amount; and in that way man
slaves became rich, purchased their free
dom, and then bought slaves IF their owl
lived in splcndor and opulence, and laid tn
foundation of families. Yet these washing
are exhausted, time out Of mind and so vii
be these OF California; and the sooner tn
better.
| am friend 10 a gold currency, but nc
to gold mining. That is a pursuit which th'
experience of nations slows to be both IN
poverishng and demoralizng to ualion.-
regret that we have these mines in Cal
fornia; but they are there, and am 70
get,iEg rid of them as soon as poss.ble.-
Make the working as free as possible. In
stead of boarding and holding them up, ant
selling in driblets, lay them open to capita
and enterprise. Lay them open to nalura
capital to labor-,o the man that has stou
arms and a willing heart. Give him fa
chance; give all fair chance. ltis no mai
ter who digs up the gold, or where it goes
The digger will not eat it, and it will g
where Commerce will carry it. The nation
which lave Industry-which have Agricu
ture, Commerce and Manutactures--the
will get the gold, provided always that the
keep out small paper money. Not sales
but permits, is the proper mode TO follow
and the only practical mode. People ar
going to California TO dig, and dig they vii
A wise Legislation would regulate, not frus
rate, their enterprise. Prints would pr
them on the side Of the law; for it woul
sonnro thann nrnfe ctinn and secnritu. sale