Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-10-19

On the substitute QDered 0y MT. FELcH J0r " fhe
bill to make temporary prorision for the work-
ing and discovery Of gold mines and plaeers in
California, and preserving order IN the gold
mine districts" sv.ls4fa
In THE SENATE, SErrExIKR 2, 1850.
Mr. FREMONT said Mr., President, the very advanced
period of the session when obtained and
able bring forward the California business induced me
take in relation to bills which thought most
agreeable the Senate and best suited for them
favorable consideration This not to the indulgence
of the Senate for making speeches. but con6ne myself
brief exposition Of the nature and principles Of bill when it
should be called up, and then well could,
the inquiries and objections of Senators either TO principles
details But fud such dioolt this BILL which
introduces subject and one which, from its novelty
and Importance excites and ought to excite much Interest,"
and requires close examination The principles Of this bill
have already stated em to exclude all idea OF max
ing national of thcsc mincs to prevent the
possibility Of monopoos by moneyed capitalists and to give
natural capiathat is say, olabo and indusy-a fair
chance work. and e enjoyment of what they nd
To carry out these principles to their just results all the de-
tahs Of the bill are carefully directed.
The Senator from Michigan, (Mr FELCH who has made
the motion strike the whole bill and to insert subst
tute does not to these principles but, the contrary
supports them, and objects only to details Adopting the
principles Of the bill and n leading provisions ne objects to
the machinery may call it Of executing the system
objects to the egen to the PERMITS and of TO the
small which is to be paid for the permit He would
the law execute Itself 70
every 10 act for himself under the law the honorable
Senator familiar with the working of things in Cali
fonia who have drawn up the bill for which be pro-
poses this substitute believe he would have intro
duced such proposition. II would never work well any
where but would throw every thing into disorder and
fusion, snd make every Judge and jury in bis own case
Laws must have officers to execute them and think none
could be cheap convenient and suitable to the people
than such as this bill provides for Ia the first place. there
agents. who reside each in gold mine district
grant the permits applicants visit the mines, and, with
jury Of six disinteeed mens settle all disputes equaby and
promptly and without The delay and expenses of resort to
court of justice for every little question which grows up
among the miners To that the agents faithful and
attentive superintendent of gold mines is created, whose
business is to superntend all the agents, examine their
books and accounts hear complaints against them take ap
peals from their DECISIONS and suspend them and appoint
others in of misconduct The superintendent is thus
armed with strong power not the miners but over the
agents. and for the benefit of the miners 1t considered
necessary to have this strong controlling power present with
the agents and the miners that all possible attention should
be paid to the hfo execution Of the act and the immediate
redress of all wrongs The superintendent Is necessary 70
give regularity the operations of the agent to bold them all
accountable and TO be the head Of the ysem To accom-
psh these purposes authority upon the spot is rdpen
sale The gorges of the Sierra Nevada are too remote from
the Metropolitan Governmen-he President is too far of to
observe the conduct of agents. to hear complaints redress
wrongs, dismiss the unfahu 1t would be equivalent to
no redress for injuries il miner who wronged is obliged
send his complaint Washington city, and prove at
that distance from the scene of his complaint.
The quantity allowed to each person is ample, consider
ing the privilege he has of changing his location often
he please and selling his lot when be is offered good price,
Thirty feet square be the size of lot be worked by
manual labor in placer two hundred and ten feet about
acre. is to be the size of lot in mine to be worked by
machinery in the rock.
placer lot accordingly, contains nine hundred superficial
feet with depth the centre of the earth cute of these
dimensions would be twenty thousand solid feet and
place Of olerabe richness found, an industrious man
may say his fortune is made Sooner later every indus
trious may expect find good lot and whether he
sells or worksit, his reward will be ample.
If be SELLS he may take another permit, and work until
be makes another good discovery and either sells this
hauss it and until be is satisfied the mining
hausted Wherever he may plant his stake, exclusive pos
session guaranteed to the miner long he works his
mining lot his assignee sod to bis legal repesen-
taves the Of DEATH All that he finds is be his
own there is be paid per centum, fifth,
tenth, twentieth the Government officer stand
the miner and require him to give account Of all be
finds and surrender up part 10 the Federal Government
All bis that he has the industry to collects and for
these multiplied advantages, with the protection Of law and
the security of oder the citizen pays only dollar month
for many months he may choose, exceeding twelve,
with pre-empive right to continue bis lot This
nominal of dollar month is all that the bill proposes
for him pay and while it will be sufficient to indemnify
the Government for all expenses and to yield respectable
sum besides will be burden the miner. He will
feel it but will pay il cheeruy in return for the advantages
which the permit him. Under this system every in
dustous manevery who has courage to persevee to
try in places until fortune vors hmwi feel assured
that his fortune is in his own hands.
For the extended and regular operations by machi-
ney the dimensions of the parcel of mining ground fixed by
this bill hundred and ten feet square, about
In mineral country, repued to be Of such exraod
nary richness these dimensions considered abundany
large for the mine ITSELF and sufficiently afford for
temporary buildings in the beginning of operations Here
after when the mineral districts shall be better known and
tie locality of the lodes veins precisely marked out larger
contiguous spaces be granted TO miners for the consuc
the buildings absolutely necessary for extensive works
In the me should be remembered that these veins
will of ground rich in loose gold, and that all
the advantages attending permit to work placer apply
the permit work mine of which the superficial content
about oryou thousand feet and thirty feet depth Of which
would be million three hundred and twenty thousand
solid feet The dimensions of lot of mining ground
therefore about fifty times greater than those Of placer lot
For these great advantages propose that the Government
should ask only twenty five dollars month, dollar
month being the fixed for placer permit; and the per-
NIT for mine is therefore only half that for placer, fifty
one being the proportion between them.
The bill contains beneficial provisions in favor of first dis
coverers they have double quantity, without the
Of any fee and with the privilege Of pe-emPtve
right These privileges have been recognised just and
polite under the laws of every mining nation Under the
regulations of the New Code Spain granted to discoverer
many mining lots be chose stake out upon the vein,
and under the mining ordinances Of New Spain several such
lots granted the dscoverer and upon many veins
as be might discover In entirely mineral ridge. II is
only proper reward industrious dscoverer and an
ducemen researches which result in great benefit
10 the country. The dcoverer of placer Of
mlne therefore, will have full reward for his enterprise and
his expenditure in time and money.
Five per ceptum Of the proceeds from the sale Of the
nts is to the State Of California for purposes of inter-
nal improvement This upon the principle of the sale Of
shn II, L.. tboT -,,oIE g..