Mr. WILLIAMS. I submit that the mere passage of this bill, which is as imperfect as it is represented to be and mustto a great extent be ine perative, is not going to satisfy the eo ple upon this subject, and it will commit those who represent the mining interests of the coun W in Congress to the sale of the mineral lands. hen Sens&Reps are once committed to the doctrine of selling theselands, then I insist there is no place where they can stop; but those persons who expect that the Government will derive an immense revenue from the sale of these lands will continue the agitation, will enter the door which this bill proposes to open, and will produce or cause legislation that will be destructive to the mining interests of the country. I say, sir, upon this subject it will not do to despise the day of small things; and I regret I Wlll not say that I am astonished, but I regret that Sens&Reps who are here to represent the mining interests of the country should open this door and should invite those who are in favor oftaxing these miners and loading them down with every sort of legislation to enter in for that purpose. Mr. President. I made an inquiry as to the effectof this bill. Senators have made an swers to that inqui as they saw proper. I think I understand the law as it now stands, and I desire to have the law remain unchanged, becauseI am satisfied that it operates to the advantage of the miners. They are content with its operations, and I do not wish that any bill should be brought forward here and passed that will interfere with the operation of that law. I shall not undertake upon that point to eifplain this bill; but I will fiat the b1i stand With the explanations given by the Senators who advocate its passage. It may be, sir, that my objections to this bill are “frivolous;” but that is a matter of o in 10h. I have stated my objections to the senate, and I have submitte the reasons upon which those objections are founded, an if they are frivolous, as the Senator asserts, then by the Senate and b those who examine them; but I am satisfied that I represent my constitquents upon this question in opposing the passage 0 this bill or any other of a Slfnllllf na ture, and I know I act in accordance with the dictates of my own judgment, and I must beg pardon if I follow my own judgment and not the suggestions of the honorable Senfrom Nevada. It is said here that the object of this bill is to give the miners a title, a ermanent, absolute title to their property. ask Senators to look at the terms of this bill and see what sort of title the miners obtain under its provisions. It provides that the miner “ may enter the land adjoining, which land adjoining shall be sold subject to this condition, and upon the further indefensible condition, both to be fully expressed in the patent, that the owners and occupants of the mine so appropriated and held shall pay into the Treasury ot the U.S., in each and every year, &c., 3 percant." I believe that objection is obviated by the consent of the honorable Senators. Notwithstanding this bill, as they say, has been so carefully considered, it appears that upon the suggestion of the honorable Senfrom Ohio this important feature has been stricken out of the bill. This was one ground upon which I objected to this portion of the bill, that it did not give the miner a title, but simply have him a conditional right to the land. I he performed certain conditions then he was to have the land; if he did not perform those conditions then his right to the land was to cease; and if Senators consent to have that stricken out, of course, so far as my objection goes to that portion of the bill, it is entirely obviated. Under the terms and provisions of this bill, as it seems to me, a person may take a claim according to the loca usages and customs of a mining district, and he may file his plat and obtain a patent; the title becomes perfect in him, and then he may cease operations upon the claim and he may hold it for an indisfinite length of time. c may proceed in the same manner on another claim, and so in this way claims may be acquired by individuals, not for the purpose of mining. but for the purpose of holing until they shall be increased in value by the operations of miners in the imme diate neighborhood and vicinity; and in this way this property may accumulate in the hands of individuals or in the hands of companies, the business may come to be a monopoly in the hands of corporations or of capita ists, while under the present system, as a general rule, a man must remain in possession of his mine, he must work it, he must hold it, he must make it productive; otherwise he forfeits his right to the claim. I have not made this motion, and sustained it by these remarks, with any view of opposing this bill upon any grounds not substantial in themselves, but because I think that this part of the bill which provides for the sale of the mineral lands is exceedingly defective. While I admit that it is the most unobjectionable bill of the kind that I have seen, and perhaps is as perfect as any such bill can be made, yet it is in the nature of things im perfect, and it is not because the honorable ‘enators who have framed it are not wise, but it is because in the nature of things you cannot pass a general not lof Congress that will be adapted to the varied circumstances and conditions and interests of the different minin localities upon the Pacific coast; but if you have a rule that applies to one it may operate with injury and injustice in another. I came here instructed, I took pains to ascertain from men who were engaged in the business of mining as to what they wished on this subject and as to what was best for the country, and I satisfied myself that it would be unwise for the Government to undertake any system of sales of the mineral lands of the U.S. I have read this bill carefully; I have read the report that has been made no of course they will be decided to be frivolous companying the bill;I have heard the s eeches made in its favor, and I am satisfied to pay that whenever this Government enters upon a general system of selling the mineral ands, that day those who see its operations will regret the levislation. If you begin now, next year there will be applications for amendments, alterations, and changes, and so from year to year the legislation of Congress will be modified and changed, confusion introduced, and things that are now settled in these mining countries, and are understood by miners who are practical men, will be unsettled and disturbed, and the whole interests of the mining region and the country will be embarrassed and injured.