The Nevada journal., 1857-06-12
For the Nevada Journal
HARD TIMES.

affairs Of California is approaching, is
beyond doubt That there is a value
set upon every thing not in proportion
to the circulating medium, we know by
experience. The principal product of
California being gold, it is very natural
that the prices of labor and the commits
sion on trade should correspond with
yield Of the mines; but as this gold
which forms the standard of our trans
actions does not remain with us to form
a corresponding currency, a uniform
lack of money to meet business transac-
tions is, and until remedy is devised,
always will be felt. It is to supply this
deficiency, we must find means. | can
not agree with you that the establish
ment Of banks, is going to remedy the
evil. This expedient may postpone,
but only for a short time, the coming
Of the evil, the more surely to do its
work of ruin when the reaction takes
place. We would have for time, a
currency corresponding with the prices
Of the times; but an artificial currency,
with no intrinsic value which, here,
where the precious metals are so album
dant, could be sustained but a very
short time. During this time the drain
Of specie would only be the more tho
rough, because for the time being it
would not be felt
All will agree with you, however,
that the only real remedy, is to attach
our gold to our soil. This, and this only
will relieve us from the eternal hard
times we experience. This cannot be
done by any artificial means but must
be a substantial work. Nor do be-
lieve it depends entirely upon the i'm
portation Of foreign capital, to be invest
ed in some profitable enterprise, the re-
turns from which leave our coast as soon
as realized. But it looks more to fix
ed population, which can only be had
by giving that population a fixed inter
est in the soil. 1t is true, Congress has
given to the citizens of our towns some
thing approximating a freehold interest
in town property, and to agriculturalists
a pre-emption right, which is regarded
i'll nearly the same light These have
served to bring among us few perma-
nent residents. But as the great busi-
ness Of the country is mining, and as
mining claims are still held by title IL
able to be forfeited by the most trivial
circumstances, the mining population
are yet little more than wandering ad-
venturers in search of a few thousand
dollars, their object being to get these
thousands and ego home :" and still we
call them "Citizens of California" as
much as if they did not talk of going
home.
1t is a fixed fact that four-ffths of
our miners, have all their permanent in
terests - their homes and their families,
on the Atlantic side, and whenever they
become possessed of two or three hun
dred dollars, if they are net ready to
leave themselves, they send their mon
ey to their friends. Here is the seat of
the disease, and I think a remedy can
be administered. To do it, however,
we must upset the theory heretofore ad-
Vocated in the mines - that of non-in-
teryention by the government with the
mineral lands. To cure this evil, the
| greatest that ever has or ever will curse
| California, miners, like agriculturalists,
must have a fixed interest in their
claims, an interest that hangs not on
the happening Of any local event, which
he can neither foresee nor avert an
interest that can neither be abrogated
nor infringed upon by the will of doz-
en- individuals, who may assemble in
district meeting, and alter, amend or
abrogate existing laws, during a tempo
rary absence, or sickness - the effect of
which would be forfeiture of his claim.
He must have an interest permanent
and substantial that is his own, to
work or let it alone, as he thinks most
to his advantage during his life, and
transmit as an inheritance to his chill
dren after death, 1t must, in fact, be
real estate. When this is done, we
may expect permanent mining popr-
lation in California. Then, miners,
ike farmers, mechanics, merchants, &c.
will not fear to bring their families to
the country, and make it their home for
life.
know very well that but a few
years since the only opinion that would
be tolerated was that the mines must be