The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-11-03
that we are indeed the Treasury of tn
World"

Impressed as l was by this when he ut
tered it, with an unusually emphatic tone,
and with his eye kindling with enthusiasm
as he closed, was still more forcibly i'm
pressed with its truth during the long jour
ney that has recently ended. Twenty
years ago-how short that space of time
seems-we had within the borders of the
United States scarcely any known deposits
OF the precious metals. Some washings
at Dacotah, Georgia, and at Charlotte, n
g., formed the sum total. But now, how
changed the scene By acquisition and
discovery, we have realm of mineral
wealth unequale'l in its area by any ma
tion in the world-pcrhaps by all others
combined From the Rocky Mountains
to the Pacific, nearly fifteen hundred miles,
from the line of British Columbia to Mex
leo, over one thousand miles, mountain
and plain, ravine and river, glitter with
the shining ore. Not everywhere, of
course not always in remunerative guam
titles when found But here is over a
million square miles, where, in every di-
rection, and at more or less points in each
OF the states and territories in it, prospect
ers find the earth auriferous and argentif-
erous and almost weekly, new discover
les are being made.
| Between the Rocky Mountains and Salt
Lake, where the Indians are the most hos
tile, and where prospecting is theriore the
most dangerous, | heard of claims in seve-
raj localities, some of them quite accident
ally stumbled on, that promise rich returns,
and of which no public mention has vet
been made.
Forty miles from Salt Lake, in a region
beautiful to the eye, known as Rush Val
ley, ''diSbanded soldiers whose time had
expired, had discovered, and without cap
ital were opening, mines which impressed
all of our party with their richness.
Crossing the Sierras, we heard of new
discoveries in an entirely new region, fur
from apy of the old roads or mines. speci-
mems from which we saw, sparkling with
the golden ore.
When in Washington Territory. We
heard that the extreme northwestern por-
tion of the republic, back of cape Flattcry
by the side of which we sailed on the strait,
OF Fuca, from Victoria to the ocean. in
habited now by hostile Indians alone and
comparatively ly unexplored, aboundcd IN
minerals, jud ging from specimens that had
been obtained there
Arizona. we all know. teens with the
precious metals, which only await the sub
DUNG of the murderous Apaches to he
protitably developed.
Without alluding to the mineral regions
already 50 extensively worked and So
widely known, or new discoveries outside
Of the limits | have suggested, such a.
those IN Minnesota. etc; and without
multiplying as could be done, references to
new discoveries reported to uS-did not
Mr.. Lincoln speak correctly when he said,
I'VE are indeed the treasury of the world ,"
Hidden or undeveloped, us most OF this
reTlon has been, since the creation till our
present era. the secrets of the rocks are
laid bare to our generation. and this herr
tage of wealth falls TO the people of our
own land and our own times. Without
wishing to encourage any one TO leave the
more uniform and less exciting labor of
agricultural, mechanical, or manufacturing
industry, the fact Of these deposits of the
precious metals over SO large portion of
our republic is undeniablc. Already,
since the accidental discovery Of gold i'll
California, the shipments of gold and sill
vcr from the Pacific coast. OF such portion
Of them as is known to the officers of the
mint, have exceeded five hundred and fifty
millions of dollars and there is no doubt.
with such vast gold bearing regions as Ida
no and Montana abounding in it, in addi-
ton to the Older and the newer discover,
les, the maximum shipment Of seventy
millions per year may be Increased III the
swift coming future TO two or three ham
dred millions. Without stopping to con-
template the effect Of such production on
the exchanges OF the world, the policy to
be followed as to the mines and the mi
ners becomes one of the important qucs-
tions of the day and l hope to see, at
the earliest possible day, bureau of min
ing established i'll the department of the
interior, and the house of representatives
following the example of the senate in
providing tor standing committee on
mining affairs. And, as for years we
have kept up a coast survey in the inter-
est OF commerce, and found its exceeding
value besides In time of war, why should
there not be a meteorological survey in the
interest of mining, whose reports should
direct intelligently the footsteps of the
prJspecter, as the charts of the coast sur
vey direct the course of our vessels on the
main ; The latter increases the wealth
OF our country through It's commerce and
the other would increase the wealth of our
country through its mines.
Great doubt and sensitive distrust exist
amongst mining populations as to what
will be the policy of the government tow
ard them In the matter of taxation.-
Large numbers of them insist, but of
course wrongly and fruitlessly, that, from
the prlvations of such life, its precarious
character, its doubtful results, so often
leading to poverty instead of wealth, they
should be exempt entirely from contribu-
tions to the United States tax collector,
1t seems very difficult, too, to devise any
exactly equitable taxation of mines as