Book Description

Excerpt from The Right of the General Government to Lease Mineral Lands Within a State: Considered in a Report by Senator Howell, From the Common Public Lands; And the Sovereign Right of Michigan to the Mines and Minerals Within Her Borders, Discussed in a Report by Senator Littlejohn, From Judiciary Com;, Made to the Senate of Michigan, At The committee on public lands, to whom was referred so much of the Governor's annual message as relates to the public and mineral lands, have had the same under consideration, and as the attention of the legislature, was, by the said message particularly called to the subject of the mineral lands in the Upper Peninsula, the committee have deemed it advisable to give that portion of the subject referred to them a separate consideration. The importance and mineral wealth of that portion of our state included in the Upper Peninsula, has for the past year occupied a large share of public attention, and sufficient examinations have been made to justify the belief that in copper and silver it is the richest and most extensive mineral region in the United States, if not excelling any known to the civilized world. The working of these mines thus far, has been by individual enterprize, under the authority of leases granted by the War Department of the general government. As these lands are situated within the acknowledged limits of Michigan, and as all questions relating to them may directly or remotely effect her interests, jurisdiction and sovereignty, the committee think the whole subject should now be presented for the consideration of our own state government. The power of the federal government to treat with the Indian tribes and to purchase their lands, is a power granted by the constitution of the United States, but the disposition of those lands can only be regulated by law. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.