The Nevada journal., 1851-10-25
Mineral Lands.

question, save to those who wished to
enter the arena of politics. The two
great parties, in convention, before the
late election, promulgated their views,
the one for donation, the other for the
entire freedom of the mineral lands.
When question has thus been seized
upon, and candidates presumed to be
elected because Of their views in re-
ference to it, the presumption is fair
that the people have made up thor
minds on the question that their rep
reseL tatives will consider themselves
instructed as to their course, and that
after such expression Of the wish OF tho
people, adverse arguments are not de-
sirablc to, or received in good part by
successful party leaders. We say that
thus we bave been inclined to look upon
questions grasped upon as political, and
in the conduct of an independent paper
while We have expressed our opinions
ON any subject we pleased, we have
avoided making offensive war on the
preudices Of any party. But we see
the Transcript discards the usual course
of party papers in reference to the cues
tion Of the mineral lands, and is anxious
for an expression of opinion on the sub
ject from the papers Of the State. If
the platform laid down at Bonicia means
any thing, and the people fairly under
stood it, wo should judge the Transcript
would consider the question settled, and
rejoice in the victory. We are not slow
to give our views upon this point, and
have before stated them, more especial
~ rs wo believe this is question which
politiciaus have no right to monopolize,
aud one in which many who care not a
straw for politics have q deep interest.
The systems Of sale and leasing the
mining lands seems generally deemed
exploded Those who do not believe it,
should investigate the history Of mining
in tho western states, We are in favor
bf no system that shall bring upon us
crowd Of hungry officials, thawrting the
miner and bleeding the government,
md under either of these systems we
Phall have them To work the mineral
ands so rs to make the operation en-
barassing to tho miner and pro6tless to
he government, we only need an army
pf surveyors and per-centum gatherers
land when that comes, common miners
may pack up and 30 home"
Ono reason why We object to the do
nation of the mineral lands is that the
system brings with it this large array
Of officers, upon whose movements, how
ever tardy, miners must wait-for we
presume after the passage Of law
creating the donation system, all other
mining will be illegal--and whose heavy
expenses somebody must bear, We can
sec no necessity to the miner in all this,
and rs is donation system, we do not
see that the government can derive or
claim any advantage from it, The
miners themselves certainly nse1 no
such regulations. For about three years
the free system has been in operation,
thousands have become wealthy by it.
the riches Of our soil have flowed through
10 thousand rills to comfort and bless the
homes of the laborer, capital has enjoyed
pill the rights which legislative charters
would confer, tho resources Of the
country have been actively developed,
and all without tho interference Of any
government, save once, whom in the
taxation Of foreigners, more mischief
was done in these months than the next
year repaired.
Some fearful yenturers express doubts
of the suficiency of public faith to pro-
tect investments of capital in mining
Were there no instances Of large in
westments having been already made on
ihis understood guarantee, and the
rights of parties in every case having
been scrupulously observed, to which we
fould point in triumphant -efuta ton of
Euch doubts, we would urge the OBJ
kious argument that self defence prompts
every individual in the community to
observe liberal course in reference to
capital, in the same manner that it
prompts obedience to statute law. If
| the rights Of one man are invaded, there
IS security for no one, and the necessity
5f preserving public faith appeals with