Year: 1865

Yes that is sensible, ' let well enough alone"
Why change from prosperity to poverty from
system of permanent improvement to one of de-
cay and ultimate ruin? This is the view many
of our mining contemporaries take of the ques-
ton of selling the mineral lands and shudder
as they write, at the fearful prospect of dilapi-
dated mining camps with their poverty stricken
inhabitants, should the mines be sold to actual
residents 1t is comforting to know that we have
such vaient sentinels on the watch-towers, who
can thus scent danger afar off and give warning
to the populous ard wealthy residents of these
beautiful cities and thriving villages. Give the
occupants of the mine legal title to that which
they now hold only as squatters and every moth


er son, and daughter too, will be forced to get
and dust for don't everybody know that they
would revolt at the idea Of becoming owners in
stead of tenants at will Wouldn't their claims
cease paying, and wouldn't worthless and aban-
doned claims y Immediately become q deserted
and cease to yield the gold they have always
been paying into the United States Treasury,
thereby forcing the Government to stop the war
and enabling the rebels to dissolve the Union ?
of course the change would be DISASTROUS and
the mines would only become homes for those
who were too poor to get away It's dreadful
to think of, and no wonder these brave editors
cry aloud and shut their eyes 20 facts and things
they could not help seeing if their keen optics
were well peeled.


Sell the mines Mcrcifr heaven deliver us
from this dreadful scheme of desolation Force
us to change the present system which has turn
ed these mountains into n second Eden which
has planted vineyards on every hillside, where
the purple fruit bursts into wine 6t for gods,
supplies the thirsty world with pure and
healthy beverage, and fills the public Golfers with
revenue Would you drive countless hocks
of sheep and herds of fat cattle to die the
arid plains deprive our immense packing houses
their If her nd Sbutu
extensive tannerics close up our mammoth
wooden mills. and force our numbcrless flour
mills to cease operations for want of the thou
sands of mouths they now have to feed, and sink
the ships employed to carry off the immense sur
plus TO other lands Would you desert the
splendid water power sites, more abun dant than
possessed by any other country, and now all
occupied by thriving manufactures of every
description? Would you drive away the mil
lions of capital developing the rich and exhaust
less quartz and copper claims of Tuolumuc
rest the progress to those deep fumes and
which are opening avenues to richer mining
ground than ever before discovered here, and
which is attracting hther thousands Of laLorcr'.
who are settling around US with their families,
and making cities where once stood the lonely
cabin Would YOU drive away the rich claim
owner and the poor devil from his fOur-hit Dig
gngs, by forcing them to own that which they
now have no legal right to? Would you prevent
the thief from stealing your mine, If business or
pleasure prevented YOU from working il once in
three days? Would YOU abandon the splendid
turnpikes and the admirable railroads, which
now offer such abundant facilities for travel and
commerce from all parts of the interior and sea-
board, and 4 ready market? Do you desire to
decrease the vote of Columbia from |, 400 to 25G;
drive all her mechanics away stop the erection
of the splendid edihces now going up and force
our merchants to close ont for fear of starving
out reduce rents from Sl5o to - per month,
and no tenants at that depreciate real estate
that brick buildings which now cost -, 900 go
begging for Sl65 Do YOU wish to deprive US Of
all our present abounding wealth of our
flowing population stop the CHEEKY hum of busy
labor, and still the almost deafening whirl of
active, incessant and increasing business,
which is now shaking our country with life and
giving positive promise of permanent improve
ment and prosperity?


If you do wish all these misfortunes to come
upon us, then for heaven 5 sake sell the mines
at once, and see the result. But we are. like our
worthy cotemps. alluded to, driven to the last
and most sensible argument If you kill the
goose, we cannot amuse ourselves any
picking mp those golden eggs, which she now so
abundantly scatters around loose. Sell the
mines, gentlemen, and the goose hangs high
with her head off It's so, sure, gentle Abra-
ham these editors know it, for they tell us so
every day. And they warn you, also that if the
mines sold, it will make difference if the
goose does not die for nobody will stay here TO
pick up the eggs-they re mean eggs any how
tbcvre rotten.-C Columbia CouriGt.