The Placer herald., 1866-01-20
Miners State Convention.

The delegates to the Miners State Conven.
tion, met in the Sixth Street Methodist
Church, in Sacramento. on the l7lh inst,
and continued in session two days.
A. A. Sargent Of Nevada, as Chairman,
and NJ. d. Borurk, of S.n Francisco, as Sec.
re,ary, were elected as permanent officers Of
the Convention.
The Committee on credentials reported
some three hundred delegates.
A committee of nine were appointed to
draft resolutions expressive Of the views OF
the Convention. to which all resolutions
were committed without debate. Ga the
second day Of the Convention the Commit.
tee reported the following preamble and
resolutions as an expression Of the senti.
msnts Of the miners Of California. They
were unanimously adopted:
Whereas. Since the discovery of gold mines IN
Californ' Il it has been the policy Of the General
Government TO allow all those who desired to
mine for the precious metals in this State IL free
and unrestricted right to search Tor and discover
their claims, subject only to such restrictions
and rules as might be adopted by Conventions
held Ivy those who were engaged in act ual mnin Q
enterprises in the several mining districts OF the
State; and whereas. we believe by the adoption
oil that policy the mining interests Of the State
have been developed more thoroughly and to a
much greater extent than they could have been
under any other policy that could have been
adopted; and whereas. legislation for the survey
and sale of the mineral lands is threatened in the
Congress of the United, and it is seriously pro.
posed TO destroy the property interests which
have been created in this State under the license
Of the General Government for seventeen years
past and to revoutionizc the whole system OF
mining business and tenures under which the
mines have been so far developed. the State has
prospered the Government has been supplied
with the sinews OF war, trade with advantageous
markets, and the revenue valuable and ucreas-
ing resource: therefore be it
Resolved by the ners of California, in Gen.
eral Convention assembled, That we are opposed
to any survey, lease or sale OF the mineral lands
OF this State. as injurious to the best interests OF
the General Government and of this State, and
utterly ruinous to the mining communities
Resolved. That any increase OF the tax upon
the proc eeds OF the mines would be onorous and
injurious to the mining interests of this coast.
Resolved, That the bill introduced into the
Senate of the United States by John Sherman Of
Ohio, is singularly ted TO work the utmost
confusion and loss to the present holders Of min
ing property. who have invested their labor and
capital in developing the mines; to destroy the
vast canal interests Of the State, the existence Of
which is necessary to the prosecution of mining.
and 10 expel the great bulk Of the population OF
the mining districts from their homes, their bust.
ness and POSSESSIONS
Resolved. That the miners of Cali re.
spectiully petition the Congress OF the Unit ed
States TO respect the rights aud pr perty inter
ests which the policy Of the government, long
continued. has created and iOsered
Resolved, That we indOrse the action of the
legislature of this State requesting delay in the
Issuance OF patents to the Central Pacific Rail
rotd Company, or any other Railroad Company
until ihe Government has employed effective me;I
sures to segreg,te the mineral IRON the agricul-
turAl lands lying within the lines Of the grant to
the railroad company. and. while willing and
anxious to aid and encourage in the construction
OF said rOJd-the great national highway
must emphilically protest against the ces>ion OF
Il vast section OF mineral aud timber lands Tor
that purpose involving the sacrifice and the de-
struction OF private rights already vested.
Resolved, That Il committed of five be ap
pointed 10y the President of this Convention, the
said President to acl rs Chairman thereof, to pre-
pare memorial to Congress emboying the sen.
timent contained in these resolutions, and to
cause the same to be presented, through our del
eg,tion in Congress, to the President OF the u
missioner Di the General Office.
Resolved that copy of these resolutions be
forthwith forwarded by the officers Uf the Con.
vention TO each oil our Senators and members of
Congress, with the request OF the Convention
that the same be Laid before their respective hou-
ses OF Congress.
The Convention also passed resolutions
favoring legislation to prevent the alultera.
ton Of quicksilver, as well as short, simple
avs in reference to the location, possession
and abandonment Of quartz claims Also
resolutions memoralizlng the LEGISLATURE to
establish an Agricultural and Mechanica
Arts College, in which the great Ieadl, @
object will be to give instruction, by exprrl
'nent and practice, in developing toe agri'
cul ural and mining resources of the State.
A mining s ate Central Co,Dmittee was
then seerled, Of which A. A. Sargent OF
Nevada. WAS subsequently, chosen Chairman
and <. D. Wheeler, Of Alameda, Secretary.
SnouLD'Nr WoNDFR.-Ihe Albany Argus
Washington dispatch saws: There is a rum i
started that Foster. President Of the Senate
will resign. The object is to elect Wade o,
| Sumner in his place. What foluwsl John.
son may be Dust ed from the presidential Of
flee 10y a vote of the two houses declaring
him ineligible. because Tennessee is not
State in the Union. They Lave already ,ak-'
this ground AS to Senators and members
1t may be a mere threat, but more rerkle
threat Of the same kind was resorted tt
against Lincoln, and coerced him into obeJ:
dence to the Senatorial Cabal A bill vii
be brought forward in regard to vacancies r
the Office Of President. Look 10 il.
EEl In debate in the Senate. on tho h
Judge uager, alludng to the taking off " Il"
democratic resolutions by ref rring them t'
committees said: "As the Senate is abou
t" consider appropriations for the erection o
monuments, perhaps it would be well To ap