Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress Page: 685
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685
OF DEBATES IN" CONGRESS.
686
Feb. 25, 1825.]
Copper Mines.
[Sen. & H. of R.
the Inspector General of that Mint, upon the request of
our late fellow citizen. Gov. Eustis, of Massachusetts.
That distinguished citizen, anxious to be useful to his
counTy, had possessed himself of specimens of this-cop-
per when at the head of the War Department, and car-
ried them with him afterwards on his embassy to Holland.
The report of the Inspector is to be found in all the prin-
cipal European works upon the subject of mineralogy.
It says:—
"The examination of thef North American copper, in
the sample received from his excellency the Minister,
by the operations of the eoppel, and the test by fire, has
proved that it does not contain the smallest particle of
silver, gold, or any other metal. Its coloris a clearred ;
It is peculiarly qualified for rolling and forging, and its
excellence is indicated by its resemblance to the copper
usually employed by the English for plating. The deal-
ers in copper call this sort Peruvian copper, to distin-
guish it from thai of Sweden, which is much less mallea-
ble. The specimen under consideration is incomparably
better than Swedish copper, as well on account of its
brilliant color, as for the fineness of its pores, and its ex-
treme ductility."
Mr. B. would not dilate upon the advantages to be de-
rived from a home supply of this metal. It was an arti-
cle of almost universal use. Ships could not be built
without it. The cost of copper in a single ship of the
line, lately built under an act of Congress, was $57,000.
Merchant vessels required a proportionate supply. In
all the grain-growing districts of the United States, it
was in demand for stills. The Mint of the United S'atc-s
made annual purchases, sometimes to the amount of
$30,000 for the coinage of cents and half cents. Com-
bined with zinc, of which there was an exhnustless sup-
ply in the mineral districts of Missouri, copper produced
brass, an article of such universal use and application
that it was found in every form, and in every house, from
the cottage of a peasant to the palace of a King, and ap-
plied to every use, from the pin to the cannon.
Mr. B. believed that the problem of the existence of
these mines ought to be solved, and that the appropria-
tion of $10,000, contemplated by the bill, was an object
of no consideration in the magnitude of the question to
be decided.
Mr. 1HCKERSON was not opposed to the object of
the bill, but he preferred a modification of its provisions.
He would prefer that an Agent should be sent to examine
the country, and to make a report, and to have that re-
port returned before the subject was finally acted upon,
lie was no stranger to the accounts which described a
large mass of native copper on the south side of Lake
Superior, but detached masses of any metal were not
considered as certain indications of mines. He instanced
the lumps of gold found in North Carolina, and of other
metals found in other places, and yet without the accom-
paniment of mines.
Mr. CHANDLER was in favor of having tile country
examined before any thing further was done; but consi-
dered the undertaking as an experiment in which we,
the United States, would probably expend more dollars
than we should ever receive cents.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, replied. He said that
reports of the kind that gentlemen called for, had alrea-
dy been received, and referred to in debate by the Sena-
tor from Missouri. It gentlemen wanted reports found-
ed upon actual experiments in searching for mineral,
such search would involve the commission of a trespass
upon the soil and jurisdiction of the Indians—a point
upon which the gentlemen had been particularly scru-
pulous heretofore.
Mr. BENTON rejoined. He was not skilled in the
science of mineralogy ; but he knew enough to know
that a solitary mass of any metal, found by itself, was not
a sign certain of the presence of a mine. But here the
fact was not what the gentleman supposed it to be. The
indications of copper on Lake Superior, was not confin-
ed to the mass which the gentleman had particularized.
It was seen in thousands of places, in lumps and in veins,
on both sides of the Lake, on the islands within it, and
extending across the country to the Falls of St. Anthony.
Mr. B. said, that it was a continuation of that great re-
gion of fossils and minerals, which, beginning upon the
Arkansas river, trav rsed the state of Missouri, crossed
the Mississippi at the Falls of St Anthony, and exhibit-
ed itself on both sides of Lake Superior. As to reports,
said Mr. B. we have enough of them. We know as much
as we can learn, by looking at the surface of the ground.
If we want to know more, we must penetrate tile bow-
els of the earth, and that is the precise thing which the ■
bill before the Senate proposes to do. It is in vain to
say, that we must not search until we are sure of finding.
Upon that principle nothing would be found, except
what the chapter of accidents would give. It was equal-
ly in vain to argue against the existence of valuable
mines on Lake Superior, because they were not yet dis-
covered. The great copper mines in England, which
now furnish more than one half of the whole quantity of
copper produced by all the mines in the known world,
were only discovered in the last century; the name of
the great salt mine in that kingdom, SaUna was known
to the Roman legions two thousand years ago i but the
vast mine of salt, which furnished the salt water of that
spring, was only discovered some fifty years ago.
The bill was then ordered to a third reading.
The Senate, then, as in committee of the whole, pro-
ceeded to consider the bill authorizing the establish-
ment of a Navy Yard and Depot, at or near Pensacola.
Mr. LLOYD, of Massachusetts, supported the mea-
sure at some length, explaining the advantages which
the situation possessed, and the necessity there was of
such a depot being established in that quarter.
Mr. HAYNE proposed to amend the bill, by adding
the following section :
" Jind be it further enacted, That the President of the
United States b<, and he is hereby, authorized to make
the necessary arrangements for the establishment of a
Navy Yard, either at Charleston, in South Carolina, or
St. Mary's, in Georgia, should the examination and sur-
vey, directed to be made by the act ot 26th March, 1824,
show that such an establishment will be advantageous
to tile public service."
The amendment was supported by Messrs. HAYNE'
and ELLIOTT, and opposed by Messrs. SMITH and
LLOYD, of Mass. on the ground of its obstructing the
passage of the bill. On the question being taken, it was
negatived.
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third
reading.
The bill, as amended, authorizing the subscription of
Stock in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company,
was read a third time, passed, and returned to the
House. Yeas 19, Nays 11.
The bill for the continuation of the Cumberland Road,
was read a third time, passed, .and returned to the
House. Yeas 23, Nays 6.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES—sam® AY.
Mr. CAMBRFXENG, from the Committee of Ways
and Means, reported a bill to authorize the importation
of foreign distilled spirits in casks of a capacity not less
than fifteen gallons : which was twice read.
Mr. CAMBRELENG explained the reasons for intro-
ducing this bill—the state of our trade with South Ame-
rica, and the obstacles to it arising from the present law
on this sub ject.
Mr. THiMBLE, of Ken. opposed the bill, as leading' to
frauds on the revenue ; and took a view of the course ot
legislation hitherto pursued in relation to our revenue
laws; be deprecated any further relaxation of the system.
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Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress, book, 1825; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30752/m1/347/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.