The Nevada journal., 1852-03-06
From the Alta California.
Disposition OF the Mineral lands.

From the Alta California.
Disposition OF the Mineral lands.
Permit me to express the opinion that
the failure Of the people in the mining
counties to pay their taxes 10 nos 90
much their fault as it is the fault Of the
system. A knows that il he pays, B
will not, and this prevents him from
paying. All know that the collection
Of taxes cannot be enforced, and cannot
therefore be just and equal The policy
Of suffering thsss mineral lands to re.
main the property OF the General Go.
vernment, keeps the miner mere wan.
derer in the State, excludes him from
acquiring any psrmansnt interest in the
soil, and 80 isng az his business IL min.
ing, be cannot well contract any ties
that will bind him to the State, and
identify him with her fortunes. No
permanent settlements can be made by
individuals Or families; and the mines
must ever ramain like Kentucky be-
fore it's settlement by white petpls o
sort Of temporary middle ground for men
10 roam over, but not to be claimed by
any. No man can claim the mines his
home, nor the State his home, while no
remsins miner upon land that he does
no: call his own.
Can any republican system of govern
ment continue harmonious existence,
whore three fourths Of all the paoduc.
tive industry of the people, and three
fourths Of sll the real estate, yield no
revenue to defray tho necessary expen.
ses Of the country; and where three
fourths Of the vsters and rulers have no
permanent interest in the State, nnd
cannot call it their home Was ever
any people or country governed we'll
under such circumstances! The thing
10 impossible. Suppose Congress had
the constitutional power, and an &C,
should be passed by that body sbsolving
three fourths Of the people Of New York.
and exempting three fourths Of the real
estate within her limits from taxation,
could her Stale government 20 on har.
moniously? And wharNew York could
not bear California cannot bear.
But admitting the justice of all this
reasoning, it may we'll bs asked, how
eau these lands be justly disposed of =!
In answer, ! can say that the great prin-
ciple that they mus: sooner or later be-
long to individuals, and thus become
suhject to State taxation, is the cardinal
doctrine contend for; snd that some
plan of alienation must be adopted and
carried out. The first, and perhaps the
best plan would be to ceds them to the
State, and let our Legislature donate
them in small quantities to actual set.
tiers. IfCongYsss refuse to do this, the
next best plan would bs to extend to
them the pre.emption or dOnsti sys-
tenn upon the same terms (but not 90 to
quantity) ~ that body shall to the agri.
cultural lands Of the State No actual
and systematic surveys Of these lands
can ever bs made, nor would such be
required. Their situation and natural
features render such surveys almost i'm
possible. The miners in the different
diggings. controlled by common necss
sity, common sense and common justice
have made q temporary distribution o
the mineral lands among themselves
They have fxed the quantity and form
Of each claim, and these are suited Il
the nature of each mine. What the,
have already dono - to mines alrsad
discovered, or might hereafter do i
respect to now discoveries, might b
made permanent by authority Of Law
and proper officers could be appointe,
to settle all these questions, and to gran
titles in fee simple to the holders. Tn
details Of tho system could be adjuste
20 as to prevent monopolies, and also +
prohibit all foreigners from owning an,
Of these lands. After the title ono
passed to the miner, she manner Of il
aliens ton from him to others would b
regulated by such acts as our own Le
gislature would pass, and such % th
miners themselves might desire.