The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-29

the mining districts
These facilities will SO reduce the cost of living in
the mines, that the miners will gain instead OF
lose by paying the tax. These are accommoda-
tons which the miners themselves will never pro-
vide because Of the want OF concert OF acton among
them sufficient TO accomplish such Objects but for
which they will willingly pay amy moderate con,
tribution. liberal per centum should be allowed
out OF this sum, school fund, and Tor the estab
llshment OF an university to educate the youth OF
California. Let IL not be considered that this VIII
be doing injustice TO the older States Of the Union.
They will reap harvest sufficiently rich in their
intercourse with their younger sister on the Pacific
to justify the most liberal course OF policy towards
her.
have given So 100000 the probable revenue
for 1851, under the proposed system. This would
discharge the interest ON the amount stipulated in
the treaty TO be paid To Mexico for California and
New Mexico, provide $300000 per annum for a
school fund, and the necessary improvements in the
mining districts, and create sinking fund of half
million per annum, to pay the principal of the
An increase of the number of miners, or Of the
price of permits, would Of course increase the
revenue II the VEIN mines shall be found as ex
tcnsive and productive as the best informed per-
sons suppose, the right to work them, properly Sc
cured by law, and the opportunity thus offered Of
using machinery TO advantage, will justify the col
lection OF much larger per cent on their gross
product than il is proposed TO require from those
who labor with their own hands in the use OF the
| simple means employed in the collection Of
gold. The amount, therefore, collected from this
source may ultimately be as large, perhaps larger,
than that for permits.
If revenue Is anpbject there can be little doubt
that, by the adoption of this system, the amount
collected in few years will be larger than the en-
tire district would command in ready money, if
offered for sale; and the interests and privileges of
those employed in the mines will be secured from
the grasping and monopolizing spirit Of individual
propretors; California and the whole Union pre-
served from scenes of anarchy and confusion, if
not bloodshed, which must result from sale of
the mining region to spectators, and attempt
to protect them in the enjoyment of their pur-
chases.
The salaries of the commissioner and his assist
ants may easily be paid out of the amount received,
in fixed sums, or in the form of per centum.
have proposed to exclude foreigners from the
privilege of purchasing permits, and from working
as discoveries or purchasers in the vein mines.
My reasons for recommending this policy are, that
these mines belong to, and in my Judgment should
be preserved for, the and benefit of the Amer
lean people. mean, of course, all citizens, native
and adopted.
During the mining Of lS49, more than fif
teen thousand foreigners, mostly Mexicans and
Chilenos, came in armed bands into the mining dis
trict, bidding defiance to all opposition, and finally
carrying out of the country some twenty mil
lions of dollars worth of gold dust, which belonged
by purchase TO the people of the United States. II
not excluded by law, they will return and recon-
mencc the work of plumber They may, with as
much right, gather the harvest in the valley of the
Connecticut the Ohio, or Mississippi No other
nation, having the power to protect it, would per-
init its treasure to be thus carried away. would
not allow them to purchase permits, work vein
mines because the contributions proposed 10 be
quired moderate that they will not cause the
slightest inconvenience to the miners, and not
designed equivalent for these privileges For
eigners, therefore, would willingly pay these small
sums for permission to collect and carry away mil
lions of dollars in value The object Is not only a
suitable revenue, but to preserve for the of
own fellows citizens the wealth of that region.
This system of permits will make all who pur-
chase them police officers, to aid in excluding from
| all vyb IN ,hod .,
! procure them. This will prevent deserers from
the army and navy from being harborcd and pro-
| tected in the mines. Not being allowed to pur-
chase permits, the assistant commissioners, aided
| by the miners, would detect and arrest them
Sailors belonging 10 the mercantile marine would
be detected in similar manner, and thus prevent
| ed from running away.
The commerce of the country would be protected
! from the disastrous consequences resulting from
the abandonment of ships by their crews, which
necessarily imposes heavy tax on consumers, be-
cause merchants, a measure of self protection,
must charge such losses on their cargoes and con-
sequently they fall on those who purchase. The
army and navy would be saved from demoraliza-
ton and prepared for service in of necessity
Many Of the emigrants TO California, especially
those from the western States, will remain and
form resident population; but there will be thou
sands and tens Of thousands of young and middle
aged workingmen, from all parts Of the Union,
who will resort to the mines for the purpose of OBJ
tanning the means 10 purchase a farm, establish
themselves in Some favoritc pursuit. and as
| they have secured sufficient amount will return,
and their places will be supplied by others who will
GO and do likewise.
This process has already commenced. Many
who went out last spring have returned with an
ample reward for their labors and privations. The
market in California for the products and manufac-
lures of the other States OF the Union will enhance
prices, which, with the gold collected and brought
home by laboring people, will diffuse degree Of
wealth and comfort hitherto unknown among them.
The quicksilver mines of California are Believed
10 be numerous, extensive, and very valuable
There is one near San jose, which belongs TO- or is
claimed by, Mr.. Forbes, Of Topic, in Mexico. The
cinnabar ore, which produces the quicksilver lies
the surface, is easily procured, and believed
TO be remarkably productive.
Discoveries Of other mines are reported, but no
certain information respecting them has been made
public. II is, undoubtedly, fortunate circum-
stance that nature, in bestowing California such
vast metallic treasure, has provided almost in it's
immediate neighborhood, inexhaustiblc stores of
quicksilver, which is 30 essential in gold mining.
! The policy Of Government with respect TO these
mines Of cinnabar should, in my opinion, be quite
different from that which have felt il my duty TO
suggest for the management Of the gold region
Az the necessary explorations can be
made, and proper information obtained, il will be
well 20 offer these mines for sale, and commit their
development TO the hands Of private enterprise
IL Is believed that there arc extensive beds OF
silver, iron and copper in the Territory but
there Is no information sufficiently accurate re-
specnng them to justify any statement Of their
istence or value.
| nave alreduy anuoeo 10 the proprlety oil estab-
fishing mint in California This is important in
many respects. Al this time there Is not coin in
the country tosupply currency. Much difficulty
u experienced in procuring enough 10 pay the du-
ties on imported goods. The common circulating
medium Is, therefore, gold dust, which Is sold at
! SIS 90 TO ZIG per ounce. In the mines IL is fire.
quenty cold much lower. The miners, the labor
ing men, the sufferers from this state Of things
Those who purchase and ship gold to the Allan
tic States make large profits; but those who dig los,
trhdf Others make.
/ have estimated that there will be $4,000 600
collected during the current year. AZ SIC per
ounce, that sum will weigh 3,l25, 900 ounces.
Gold, at the United States mint, Is worth S1e
per ounce, making difference in value on that
quantity, between San Francisco and New York
Of S6.25O 600, which would be saved TO the miners
by the establishment Of mint
j have also suggested its importance as a means
OF promoting and increasing trade with the
west coast OF Mexico and South America.
II is not doubted that the construction Of rail.
way across the Isthmus Of Panama, and perhaps
the establishment Of other lines Of communication
between the two oceans, will give 10 the products
and manufactures Of the older States Of the Union
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