The Empire County argus., 1856-01-19

| MINERAL LANDS. The mineral lands, or some
thing pertaining to mining, is fruitful source oi
legislative dabblng Mr.. Shaw, of San Francis
CO. has already given notice of joint resolution oi
the following import:
! joint resolution instructing our Senators and
requesting our Representatives in Congress, to urge
the passage of law donating the title of the U
S. in cur mineral lands to this State, in trust for
the several use and benefit Of tho miners thereon,
being citizens of this State, and those who shall
hereafter become such; securing to each the owner
ship therein in such limited quantities as the exi-
gencies of each mining locality and different kinds
of mining may demand but only to such extent
and for such length of time Ito be regulated by
law as the shall be actually worked by the
claimant or claimants thereof.
Now what is the necessity for passing a resolu-
tion of this kind! None at all, whatever Own
ershp' in Limited quantities is already secured,
by the action of miners themselves What the
object of Mr.. Shaw may be we do not know, nor
do we care. The Legislature may rest assured
that miners perfectly satisfied with the present
condition of the mineral lands. We hope the day
is far distant when the State of California shall
have any more control of the mineral lands than
at present. The diversity of interest and of opn-
ion in the mining districts is great, that gen.
eral laws can be satisfactory. All attempts at
legislation will only be waste of time and pro-
ductve of injury. If gamblers, spectators, loaf
ers, and enterprising business men,, desire mining
claims, let them visit the mines and go to work
honestly. In this way they can acquire all the
rights to the soil and precious ores that they will
be permitted to hold
The mining representation in the Legislature
should frown down all attempts of this kind, to in
terfere with the mineral lands When miners de-
sire any thing of this kind. they will let the Legis-
lature know it. 1t is astonishing that delegations
from San Francisco so ardently desire to interfere
with the business of mining, of which they know
no more, practically, than cow knows of fddling
The mineral lands once under the control of a
California Legislature, then we have taxation of
mining claims, speculation, monopoly, and fraud
without limit The agricultural counties and San
Francisco also we fear, desire to invent some
scheme of realizing lucrative revenue out of
mining claims. Miners are willing to pay taxes
on money or property already acquired, but they
are not willing and will not be- taxed on the right
and all will be well. No change for the better
can be made at present.
Mr. Shaw desires to secure the mineral lands
for the benefit of the miners thereon, being cit-
zens of this State and those who shall hereafter
become SUCH This is a stretch Of Knownothing-
ism which the Knownothings themselves never
contemplated. The Chinese, who never can be-
come citizens could not hold mining claim at
all. An Irishman, Frenchman, German, or Eng
lishman, could not hold or work claim until fully
naturalzed. This is altogether too steep for Know
nothings to swallow; too proscriptive, and decidedly
anti-American. Let the resolution be defeated
We turn Mr.. Shaw over to the State Journal and
Shasta Courier, and hope this ant-democratc, anti
American resolution will receive no mercy at their
hands.