Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-04-12

recognized as the freedom of the helmines."--
1t is contended, as for example, that miner
may have claim estimated to be worth two
thousand dollars; that it will cost him one
thousand for provisions, tools, blasting pow
der, &C., before he can reach the pay dirt
that these supplies he must have, or abandon
his claim, and having no security to offer the
merchant-ha having nothing the merchant car
attach if at any time and from any cause he
finds himself in danger of losing the amount
of the reckoning on his ledger-the miner
will be unable to obtain credit, and cannot in
consequence reap any advantage from the
fine prospect he has obtained 1t is thus
argued that the exemption law would be ab.
solutely oppressive upon the miner, at least
in many instances, and thereby compelling
him to sell out his claim for whatever he
could get, and bctake himself to the very
generally Improbable business of prospect
ing---a business that generally keeps poor
every man who is compelled to follow it,
But we shall not stop to notice the other oh
ectons to the homestead policy as applied
to mining claims.
As to the particular features of Mr. Nor
mans bill, there may be different notions
We are inclined to think that had it been
more carefully digested, there wonld have
been less danger of its proving a dead letter
upon the pages of the statutes. This duty,
however, Mr.. Norman probably thought
should properly devolve upon the committee
on Mines and Mining Interests; and it
must be admitted that such a presumption
would not be without good ground, for it is
the business of the different committees to
watch over and carefully digest the different
questions and bills that come under their
1t would manifestly be for the benefit If
the miner, Gas well as for the benefit of those
with whom he has dealings whether the
exemption bill pass or not, if law was passed
enabling him to give lien upon his mining
ground This would furnish to the miner
basis of credit, which he e1did use at his
own option when his interests required it,
He might thus obtain supplies when engaged
in opening his claim, and at the same time
nvoid the danger of having his mining ground
sacrificed under the operation of our rather
severe attachment laws; that is, by buying
provisions, &c, at such length of time, upon
mortgage as would enable him to have his
lain open and the money taken out before
he debt should fall due. Our Supreme
'ourt not having as yet decided distinctly
pom the question as to what particular class {
{ property mining claims belong, ii would {
eem that liens could only be given upon !
hem under the provisions of special legisla-
i've enactment This enactment, and also
law providing for chattel mortgages, should
ngage the careful attention of honorable ,
Members. The latter, at least, has been de- ,
handed by the people for the past two years,
we are to take what appears to be unan-
nous expression Of feeling as true index Of
'opular desire. Why should the law estab-
sh basis of credit for the man who owns
wo thousand dollars worth of real property
nd at the same time refuse to establish
imilar basis for the man owning personal
property or mining claim of equal value?
The question has not been satisfactorily an
wered