The Placer herald., 1863-12-26

one which would quickest develope all the
virtues of our rich land, and put US in con-
dition to enjoy and improve the position
which is to give San Francisco and Calfor-
mia finally its chief consideration among
States. We do not believe the time has vet
arrived when we can afford to raise State
revenue out of our mining claims, though
mining improvements may be fairly sub
ject to tribute, and are paying their quota.
Nor do we see that the General Govern
ment would exhibit any wisdom by taxing
the mines, which unquestionably is their
own. 1t cannot collect a tax large or small,
without creating an army Of Office holders,
and the invasion of such an army is always
deplorable. From perhaps dozen mines
in California and Nevada the Federal tax
collector would gather up his dues without
difficulty, but from the great multitude he
never could collect it. To raise $l,OO0,O0O
revenue in this way would probably cost
twice or three times that amount. But put
the tax high enough to make its collection
an object, and you etfectually close up the
mines. The New Almaden, a quartz mine
or two in California and the great silver
fields of the Comstock lead might 90 on,
but the thousand and one mines which as
sess oftener than they divide profits, could
not stand any considerable tax. The placer
diggers make a living and little more
Tax them, by requiring license (for that is
the easiest way) and hundreds of fields will
be left to Cinnamon alone to CLEAN the doubt.
ful harvest from. Is not the General Govern
ment reaping any thing from its mines be-
cause it does not levy direct tax! Could
this war have been waged so well, would
Mr.. Chase's greenbacks have been so accept
able at the East, would the Unions credit
stood at its present figure, if there had not
been this steady, unabated flow of gold from
California and its vicinity into the market?
Without the three times monthly steamers
treasure our credit would have tumbed long
ago; our paper would have represented, in
deed, the pledged intentions and the contn-
uous Industry Of our people, but people who
take paper reckon always its value in gold
before they smile upon it and fold it away as
wealth. Now who believes that with a tax
upon the mines, the production of gold dur
ing the past two years would have been as
generous as it has been. The free mines Of
the United States have enticed a swarming
population into regions that would have been
silent and husbed in unbroken repose to this
day but for their mineral attractions. The
untaxed mines are drawing men of all trades
and pursuits into Arizona, New Mexico, Ida
ho, Misunderstanding and planting settlers
who will civizs the deserts and make the
black soil of the most secluded valleys prol
Il, H. it,
whole American system of colonization will
be upset. 1t will not do to make the mines
pay too many parties and in too many ways
at once.
Their are abundant evidences that the
men of Washington, New York and Phila
delpha are little crazy in their notions Of
the production, present and prospective, of
the mines. The price at which New Alma-
den was stocked in Wall street, and the
figure at which Mariposa was purchased,
show that they believe them to fairly gush
with gold, as a maple tree in spring time
runs sap at the first tapping. They make
the most ridiculous estimates of the future
production of mines which men are bankrupt
ing themselves to open. They forget, or
believe it is piece of old fogyism, that it
takes a mine to work mine. There was
some hope that they might be induced to
read bit of Mexican mining history, to
revise their impressions and look at the facts
rather than the fances which men who had
mines to sell have imposed upon them as
facts, to take common sense views and not
Judge every ledge Comstock, every shaft
an Ophir, and every owner of a piece OF
mining script millionaire. We did not
put great faith in the logic of New Almaden's
and Mariposa's yield for the next year or
two to correct their mining doctrines, but if
Nevada and California plunge in to make
their revenue out of the mine which they
do not own that faith must wane. If the
States which should know that rapid produc-
ton from the mines is their chief source of
ignore the fact and make every
ounce of dust or grain pay toll before it gets
to the mint, we cannot expect Uncle Sam
to forget who owns the goose. If anybody
is allowed to kill her and pocket the grand
cluster of golden eggs, he and nobody else
is the party to do it.
THE SUMNER DoCrRINE,-Senator Sumner
assumes that the rebel States, by their act of
secession and resistance to the United States
authority vacated their State Governments,
forfeited them, and that the territory of said
States is now in a condition of "clean
eloto - rrop yb;oh tho J1nitad Statas Gov