Doc. No. 9.] 79 



reducing taxation on the great mass, render less burdensome the support of 

 the State government. 



A course of action that would accomplish this end, and at the same time 

 prevent that result which it has been the careful study of the representatives 

 of the people to guard against, and whose every effort has been directed to 

 preserve to the people the most liberal policy in the acquirement of wealth 

 from the varied and prolific sources presented in no other country than this, 

 must be unobjectionable either to the miner or merchant. 



A strong objection has been urged against the sale of mineral lands, and 

 justly too, as in this case the title must pass into the hands of private parties, 

 which in most countries has proved objectionable in many particulars, and a 

 course of this kind could never meet the approbation of a large majority of 

 our population, in the present state of our information. In aft other countries 

 as in our own, the title to mineral lands is vested in the crown, or general 

 government, (with the exception of Great Britain,) and the title or permis 

 sion to use or occupy can emanate only from that source, where ifc properly 

 belongs. In all countries where mines of the precious metals have been 

 found, different policies for their government have been pursued, but as yet 

 that policy which has been the most liberal, and at the same time protective of 

 private rights, is found to have exerted the widest and most beneficial influ 

 ence in their developement and occupancy ; under such a system it is im 

 possible for it to do otherwise than prosper, and the experience of nearly 

 three centuries have gone to substantiate that fact. 



There can be no possible objection to the general principles on which our 

 present system is founded, it is the same that made Spain and Mexico what 

 they were. and are, and one that with these countries has stood the tests of 

 time, the best proof of its utility and univeral applications. Throughout all 

 the political changes that have convulsed and shattered the civil codes of 

 these governments, no change or alteration of a restrictive tendency has 

 been made in the Ordinances des Mineria. For tte last fifty years no 

 change that in the least has affected its vital features, except to render them 

 more liberal and congenial ; its dictates with them are as sacred as their 

 holy creed, and to molest or change its principles would-be regarded as 

 equally sacreligeous. 



Under that system individual rights in mines are scrupulously respected, 

 and strict nori compliance with its requisitions are followed by a reversion of 

 party rights to the crown, from which only can a similar title be obtained by 

 others wishing to occupy and improve. 



The history of mining proper throughout the world, has taught us that 

 it is impossible to pursue that business to advantage without heavy outlays 

 of capital ; this applies equally to mining for silver or gold ; the great amount 

 of labor and expense attendent in opening a mine is the cause of this, that 

 branch alone often being the work of years, before the reduction of any of 

 its metals take place whereby any return of profits can be realized. We 

 are not wanting in illustrations of this kind, they are as wide-spread as the 

 mining operations of the world ; and if more definite examples of this fact 

 is required than the general history of this branch of industry, we need but 

 to refer to the superficial operations of our own State heretofore, to show 

 that limited means cannot succeed in gold mining, though the veins produc- 



