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Mineral [Public] Lands

At the land sales in the Mineral Point District, all those tracts in which lead mines or diggings were found, or on which they were supposed to exist, were reserved to the United States, and have not yet been sold. These lands are claimed or occupied by miners, who hope to obtain a pre emption to them form Congress. They were at first leased under certain regulations by the government for a rent of ten per centum of all the lead raised. This sent they are not now required to pay. Many veins or mines of lead have been discovered since the sale, on lands belonging to individuals; and it is supposed that these now yield as much lead as those on the reserved or public land. Any attempt therefore to collect the sent lead would have the effect to cause the public mines to be abandoned, as the occupant could not compete with their neighbors who have no rent to pay. Hence it is believed that the best policy for the government to pursue is to dispose of these reserved land, as other public lands are disposed of

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