those settlers who have already purchased their farms.

A novel and singular claim has been set up in some of the new States to the entire property of the public lands within their limits. The nature of this work does not require an examination of this claim; to enforce which no attempt has as yet been practically made.

It ought to be observed, that five per cent. on all the sales of public lands within the States severally is reserved; three-fifths of which are to be expended by Congress, in making roads leading to the States; and two-fifths to be expended by the States, in the encouragement of learning. The first part of this reservation has been expended on the Cumberland Road; and the treasury of the United States is greatly in advance to that fund, on account of this public work.

The total number of acres belonging to the United States is 1,062,463,171.

But the mode of disposing of the public lands, if their sale for the profit of the government be dispensed with, may give rise to much difficulty, in seeking to reconcile the interests of the United States with those of each of the States of the Union. On this important point, Mr. M'Lane, with his usual ability, thus observes :

"It must be admitted that the public lands were

L

ceded by the States, or subsequently acquired by the United States, for the cominon benefit; and that each State has an interest in their proceeds of which it cannot be justly deprived. Over this part of the public property the powers of the general government have been uniformly supposed to have a peculiarly extensive scope, and have been construed to authorise their application to purposes of education and improvement to which other branches of revenue were not deemed applicable. It is not practicable to keep the public lands out of the market; and the present mode of disposing of them is not believed to be the most profitable, either to the general government or to the States; and must be expected, when the proceeds shall be no longer required for the public debt, to give rise to new and more serious objections.'

"Under these circumstances, it is submitted to the wisdom of Congress to decide upon the propriety of disposing of all the public lands, in the aggregate, to those States, within whose territorial limits they lie, at a fair price, to be settled in such manner as might be satisfactory to all. The aggregate price of the whole may then be apportioned among the several States of the Union, according to such equitable ratio as may be consistent with the objects of the original cession; and the proportion of each may be paid or secured directly to the others by the respective States purchasing the land. All cause of difficulty with the

general government, on this subject, would then be removed; and no doubt can be entertained, that, by means of stock issued by the buying States, bearing a moderate interest, and which, in consequence of the reimbursement of the public debt, would acquire a great value, they would be able at once to pay the amount upon advantageous terms. It may not be unreasonable also to expect, that the obligation to pay the annual interest upon the stock thus created, would diminish the motive for selling the lands at prices calculated to impair the greater value of that kind of property.

"It is believed, moreover, that the interests of the several States would be better promoted by such a disposition of the public domain, than by sales in the mode hitherto adopted; and it would, at once, place at the disposal of all the States of the Union, upon fair terms, a fund for the purposes of education and improvement, of inestimable benefit to the future prosperity of the nation."-See Report on the Finances of the United States, of Dec. 1831.

The above details, principally from the American almanac are compiled from and collated with the Land Laws published by congress; Report from the Treasury to the Senate of the United States, February, 1827; Report of a Select Committee of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1829; North American Review; American Quarterly; Seybert's Statistics, &c. &c.

CHAPTER XVII.

Gold Mines.-Mint.

GOLD has hitherto, I believe, been discovered only in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, at least in any quantity.

The first notice of gold, from North Carolina, on the records of the Mint, occurs in the year 1814, during which it was received to the amount of 11,000 dollars. It continued to be received during the succeeding years, until 1824 inclusive, in different quantities, but all inferior to that of 1814, and on an average not exceeding 2,500 dollars a year. In 1825, the amount received was 17,000 dollars; in 1826, 20,000 dollars; in 1827, about 21,000 dollars; in 1828, nearly 46,000 dollars; and in 1829, 128,000 dollars*.

In 1825, there was published in the "American Journal of Science and the Arts," an account of these mines by Professor Olmsted, who estimated the gold country at only 1,000 square miles; but it has since been found to be vastly more extensive; and a succession of gold mines has been discovered in the

* Vide American Journal of Science and the Arts.

country lying to the east of the Blue Ridge, extending from the vicinity of the river Potomac into the State of Alabama. These mines are now wrought, to a greater or less extent, in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

In an account of a Tour in North Carolina, published in a New York Journal, there is mention made of the gold mines. From this writer we learn that the State is rich in gold mines. The gold is far more extensive in that State than is generally supposed; it commences in Virginia, and extends south-west through North Carolina, nearly in the middle of the State as regards its length; along the northern part of South Carolina into Georgia, and thence north-westwardly into Alabama, and ends in Tennessee. The mines in North Carolina and Georgia are now worked to a great extent; those of Virginia and South Carolina to a small extent; and those in Tennessee have not been worked at all, although it is probable that they will be soon. In this State, the counties of Burke and Rutherford contain the best gold washings, as they are called; that is, the gold there is found in small and pure particles mixed with the sand, which lies in deposits, as if it occupied (as the miners believe) the beds of what were once streams of water, creeks, rivers, &c. The gold is there obtained by washing away the sand, and it is a simple process. But the counties of