Mr. ASHLEY, of Nevada.Mr. Speaker, this bill as originally introduced, had relation to mining ditches in the mining districts of the States of California, Oregon, and Nevada. The amendment of the Senate proposes to extend the provisions of the bill to some other matters re nting to mining. The bill, as amended by the Senate, is substantially Senate bill No. 257, which has already been passed by that body and is now ending before the ComPublic Land; of this House. A bill reciscl similar in form was introduced in this house. the Gentfrom California, EMr. HIGBY, and having been referred to the oinmittee on Mines and Mining has been unanimously agreed to by that committee. The ComTerritor of this House have the same question before them, and concur in the ropriety of such a measure. T ie bill as now before the House has relation simply to the manner in which the men now working mineral lands in our section of country shall secure their titles thereto. It is a measure which receives the approval of all the Representatives of the States interested. It is a measure of the utmost importance to the people on the Pacific coast. We have been without a regular system of law there for 17 or 18 years. There has grown up a sort of common law, which has been recognized by our ecurts. It has answered our purposes. Under it our country has grown up, rodueing for the nation 60 or 70 million dollars annually. We now simply ask that the rights which have grown up under that system shall be secured to us. Sir, as this nestion cannot be very fully discussed at this late stage of the session, I ask the gentlemen to have some confidence in the united delegation from the Pacific coast. We have no interest as against the U.S. On the contrary, our interest is all with the U.S. As to the peculiar mode of disposing of the public lands to miners in our section of the country, the members from that region are better entitled to speak than men who have never dug the soil, as have most of the Representatives from the Pacific coast. I trust that the amendment of the senate will be concurred in, and I move the previous question.