The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1866-09-01

VIRGINIA CITY, MONTANA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER L. 1866

f~Ine uul1 OF California, from Colorado TO
the Pacific Ocean, will be thoroughly
explored by the prospector, in search of
the precious metals?
| 1t will, think, be admitted by every
one, that, with our present national debt,
it is to the interest of the Government
to foster and encourage the exploration
for, and production of the precious met
ais. 1t must be admitted also, that un-
der no other system can there be such a
rapid opening up of mining territory and
such large yield of precious metals as
the last fifteen years has witnessed un-
der the system of free mining. 1t is not
only the present which viii be seriously
affected by this mining lav-but the far
future. This law is the germ of mon
strous monopoly-a beginning for the
Capitalization of wealth.
! Victor Hugo has said: "The two prob
! lens for nation to solve are, first, to
lproduce wealth. Secondly to distribute
lit. The true result will show national
prosperity. England solves the first of
these two problems. She cgeates wealth
wonderfully. She distributes it badly.
Witness the two extreme. of society.
Monstrous opulence Mons,rous misery.
! the enjoyment to the ew-all the
misery to the rest" Had Victor Hugo
been acquainted with the structure of
society in the United Staes, he could
have added that the people f the United
States came very near sSlving both
problems, as we produce walth rapidly,
and our wealth is in possession of the
many, and not of the few We have,
therefore, enjoyment for the many, and
misery for but few. We hare among us
, no feudal aristocracy, gorgsd with the
{ wealth of the land, but free intelligent,
educated people, and wealth distributed
among them according to enterprise. 1t
is this general distribution of wealth
that gives stability and vigor,us strength
, to our government. 1t is thin the duty
of our national Legislators, b avoid en-
acting laws calculated to centralize
wealth Our next Congress Ught to re-
5 peal the mining law, and ieclare the
: mineral lands forever open t. free occu-
patton, untrammeled by Congressional
enaetments, allowing, as heretofore, mi
ners' laws and customs to bethe law OF
2 the mining section. SenatofStewart OF
Nevada, has well said "Ths laws and
customs of miners were founded on rea.
son and justice, and challenged the ad,
e miration of all who investigated them
v and system of wise and judcious de-
S cisions have moulded these regulations
e into comprehensive system d common
q law. This system has spread over all
!, the mineral States and Territories, and
l it is well understood by million OF
s men. A miners law is part pf his ma
e Etsre, he made it, and he loves, trusts
d and obeys it. He has given the honest
= t6s,of his life to acquire weash, which
T when found, is protected byno higher
law than that enacted by himelf, under
S the implied sanction of JUS and gen
+ erous government. Senators who have
/ not given this subject special attention
g can hardly realize the wonderful results
y of this system of free mining 1t would
Q be national calamity to adoIt any sys
u tenn that would close that vastregion tc
the prospectors" Had Senate Stewart
e stopped there, it would have ,een well
9 but again he says: "The Importance O.
d legislation, which shall give title, so i'm
t portant for permanent prosperity is daily
: increasing by the agitation d the sub
/ ject, by the absolute necessity of some
), system guaranteeing to capitalists in
u demnity for their investments" Now
o ask what better title is needed by capi
l. talists, than the titla given W miners
G local laws, or by SpIe and serritoria
/ Legislative enactmerts2
:. Senator Stewart again sa,s This
o bill proposes no new system but sane
: tions, regulates and confirms, system t.
which the people are devotedl- attached
d and removes those Of doubt sRd uncer
t tainty which have recently depressed
/ and retarded the growth and prosperit,
y of our mining communities Now, OF
II the contrary, think that tlis mining
e bill does propose an entirely new ant
II ruinous system, involves all mining in
e terests in doubt and uncertainty and vii
y retard the growth and prosperity o
t every mining community.
e In conclusion, | will say that the rep
q resentatives from the mining States ant
t Territories were recreant to their tru
). duty, in not presenting firm front,
s sold phalanx, in opposition to the pas
sage Ol blo lululuS, ldN tli-N ~ Nt~ -AA'-ii
o the Delegate from this Territory, VIII
o thinks that such a law "win suit ou
n folks in all the mining States and Terri
o tories" and that "we nlnst swallow tn
q one thousand dollar clause 10 Iet the sect.
t Heaven help the rest W. must swa
low salts to get castor oil Our Delegat
T. has shown much weaknesses aud frailt
II during the whole tern Of MS service, bu
we were hardly prepared for such a
e avowal which is contained in his lette
# about the mining law. But onr Oelegat
e may put in a Falstaffian plea In
l. state of innocency Adam fell, and whs
T. should poor Jack Falstaf do IN the Cay
}. of villainy? Thou sce'st ( have NOR
If flesh than another man, therefore MOI
h frailty."
If Let US hope that our delegate and th
II the representatives from all ether nlinin
e States and Territories viii see the errt
3, of their ways, and struggle hard for
e repeal of the mining law by the mex
r Congress. s. q, y.
v LETTER FROM REI.ENAs
e HELENA, August eeth, 1866.
d EDITOR PosT:-When the CITY LA
at New York yyas luildintf thu Ill