The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-03
T FROM our OWN coRREsp oYDEyr1

COHsiueTdtlOu Vi SUuSTess ~ early Jay, anu
energetic efforts will be made to secure its passage
General LANE, the Delegate from that Territory
recently published letter intended to create the
impression that its population numbers at least
ninety thousand instead of forty thousand, as has
recently been stated through the public prints
There is growing indisposition upon the part of
Congress to admit into the UNION any more States
with less population than is fixed by law as the
basis of Congressional representation. 1t certainly
is very unfair to let Kansas, Oregon or any other
Territory come into the Senate with two votes and
into the House with one while they have far less
number of people within their limits than is re-
qured in any District in Maryland, Pennsylvania
or South Carolina, before it is permitted to have
Representative. Hence the necessity for swelling
the population of Oregon to the highest possible
figure.
General LANE claims a population of 80, 900 for
Oregon. To Justify the estimate he takes the fact
that the Territory had only 10000 inhabitants in
1850, while in 1855 it had upwards of forty thou
sand; and then supposes the ratio of increase since
the last mentioned date, to have appropriated to
the ratio of increase during the first five years OF
the present decade. Surely this estimate is ALA
cious Since the census of 1850, and prior to 1855
.
the latter year gave to Oregon a population OF
10000. Since that time the immigration has been
comparatively small, and it is very questionable
whether the ratio of increase has been as great
that of any of the more fourishing States of the
UNION.
If Oregon has increased so rapidly, where are
the people? She has no large cites,-not one;
although blessed with several towns which unuues-
tonably are wonders of enterprise, in view Of the
disadvantages under which they have labored, in
Of fhA.r ,,A1. @,G II
the greater portion of Oregon covered by forests
The area of her arabic land is comparatively small,
and sparsely settled. True, the soil of the Villa
mette Valley is fine, her undeveloped resources
are very great, the climate is of the 10 veest
on earth, and her fruits and other products of the
soil prosper in marvellous degree. But population
is not yegetable-and so the argument of the Or
egon Delegate, to support his theory of an extern
and potatoe question: don't establish The th
which he finds it convenient to draw
But even if we admit all that the earnest Delepate
claims, and concede to Oregon a population of
9o'o9o that does not enttle her to admission into
the Union under the representative ratio estab
ilshed eight years ago, since which time the States
have increased so rapidly that, as | showed only a
few days since, the representative ratio in the fu-
ture must be 10000. Applying the same estimate
to California which Gen. LANE claims to he inst in the
case OF Oregon and the former would be entitled to
live times the number of Representatives allowed
her to-day. Agan-when the apportonment was
made under the Census of 1850, there were a num-
Der OF States which, after making all the Districts
OF $4,000 inhabitants each, that they could found
remaining fractional populations quite as great as
that of Oregon to-day-eight years later. Those
States are compelled to wait until the next general
apportionment before they can get an additional
Representative, although no one will dispute the
proposition that they now have population far
exceeding the number which would have entitled
them to an additional voice in the lower House of
Congress Why, then, should this discrimination
be made in behalf of Oregon-a discrimination
so unjust to the States of the UNION? Can any
body give good reason therefor? Is there any
any difficulty in securing to Oregon good Govern
ment as Territory? Is there any Gordian knot
to be cut by her admission into the UNION, as in
the case of Kansas To all these questions mega
tive response must be given. All is peace in Ore
gon. The Government provided for her, works
admirably She is prospecting in all respects: and,
except to crafty the ambition of men who desire
to fill the offices to be created under State Gov
eminent, it is difficult to what purpose is to be
accomplished BY her premature assumption of the
duties and powers of State. She should be made
the first practical exemplar of the general law
which Congress ought to pass, forbidding the for
nation OF State Governments in any Territory I'M
I'll 1t has population sufficient to entitle it to one
Representative in Congress. Such a law while
equal and just to all, would save vast deal of
trouble, and repress any amount of political Jug
gery such as disgraced the history of Kansas BRO
voking infinite mischief to the whole UNION.
MIR. JOHN NUGENT, late Special Agent of the
UNITED STATES at Victoria, Vancouver's Island is
here,-an applicant for the position of Superinten-
dent of Indian Affairs in California, recently va.
Gated by resignation of THos. j. HENLY. Mr.. NJ
GENTS commission at Victoria expired, by its own
limitation. with the meeting of Congress. Before
leaving his post, he published address, which,
as well as speech delivered by him at public
dinner, deemed highly offensive and wilfuIlv
insulting to the officers of the crown in British
Columbia, that Lord NAPIER has formally COM
planned of the matter to our Government
Not long ago gave you, upon undoubted
authority, some facts in relation to the extra
ordinary discoveries of mineral wealth recent
ly made in Arizona. Among these was one to the
effect that new beds" of silver had been discover
ed upon land belonging to Lieutenant MowRY which
We're richer than the celebrated HEINTzLEMAN mine
the richest in the world. 1t seems that Arizona
is full of these grand silver Mines and has enough
OF them proftably to employ thousands upon thous-
ands of laborers, provided the needed capital is
carried in for their proper working. Recent deyel.
opments show that the STEPHENSON mine, so fatter-
teringly mentioned in Capt. PoPE's Pacific Rail
road survey in 1854, is far richer even than was
then supposed: Capt. ?. then stated that snot-
wlthstandlng the impossibility of getting an expe-
rienced miner, and the crude and imperfect manner
OF smelling, he Mr.. STEPHENSON has been COM
PEELED to adopt the results have been exceedingly
profitable. The ore is powdered between two
stones, and the smelling is done without one con-
venience common to the States. The refuse prob
ably contains half as much silver as the original ore
and, notwithstanding this-fron, a mule load OF
three hundred pounds te he gets eighteen dollars
of siluer %
A company of capitalists have obtained possession
OF this mine, of which believe Major j. r. SpRAGUE
IT, ). A., is President and which is engaged in ar.
rangements Tor the proper development of its
riches. STEPHENSON smeted his silver in a common
furnace, the draft of which supplied from a
rude blacksmith's bellows, worked by mule and an
Indian boy. Taking the results of his crude opera
lions as basis of calculation, it is estimated thai
twenty laborers will produce from this mine nearly
$4,000 per month, at total cost for labor, repairs
accidents &C., of less than $500. An hundred mer
might be EN- ployed with as much facility as TWEEN
ty, and with the same ratio of nett results CAP
ta of S50, 900 is believed to be sufficient to conduc
these operations in the most economical manner
yet the returns therefrom, upon the basis aIread,
stated, would amount to about $4,000 per month
Startling as these figures appear, the history of sill
yer mining in Mexico and Peru, during a centur,
or more, fully justify and sustain them. If the STE
PHENsoN mine can give even one-ffth of the results
claimed, it will be seen that still the capital re
quired is ridiculously disproportionate thereto Il
there not reason to believe that in Arizona we have
obtained another California at least so far as min
eral wealth is concerned?
| find that the Gila gold discoveries were antici
pated in 1S49 by Senator Gwin and others. wht
travelled down the banks of the ella in thar YEAR
Then, however, there were supplies of any kline
to be had in the country, and the Indians were 81
troublesome, that could not stop to "prospect'
for gold Major EMORY in his official report durine
the same year, predicted that before many wears
fiat boats would go down the ella laden with pre-
cious metals; and it is historical fact that an hun
dred years ago, the copper from the Rio Mimbre
mine of New Mexico, 500 miles east of the first dis
coVery of gold on the ella, contained so much golt
that it was found profitable to pack it on mule
back all the way to the City of Mexico This min,
has recently been re-opened and large uuantit,
of its metal sold to the chihuahua mint at a con
siderable advance upon the current rates. These
facts are well worthy of general examination by al
who take an active interest in the DEVELOPMENT O
our national resources.
The Gutta Percha Life Boat recently inspecte,
with others, by the Commissioners appointed b,
the Secretary of the Treasury, was sent to Liver
pool and has been subjected variety of tests in tn
Liverpool docks, in the presence of a number O
scientific and practical men. The Liverpool Time
OF the 9th, the Post of the same date, and seyera
other papers, contain very full description. of tn
boat, and of the experimental tests to which it ha
been subjected One of these tests was the throw
ing oil the boat from the davits of the ship plum
into the water-a distance of sixteen feet-withou
causing the slightest damage to any part of it. TIL
bottom of the boat was then belabored with mani
and also with the head of an axe, with blows sufi
Gent to shatter to atoms the bottom of any woode
boat, without producing the slightest impression.
The experiments of the most satisfactory kind
and officers of the Royal Navy, ship Captains, AM
others who inspected the boat, expressed the mos
favorable opinions of its merits Trials of simila
character were to be made in London. Capt. Samuel
made the offer to allow the boat to be towed at tn
stern OF a steamer either empty or full of water
and to let it be passed under the paddle wheel
OF steamer, guaranteeing that no damage cou
result to it which would unfit it for the purposes
saving life.
END OF THE NAVAJO WAR.-Lieutenant Lane O
the RIFLES arrived in this city this evening, direc