Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Domestic News
February 27, 1796
The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
During the congressional debate on the Land-Office Bill, Mr. Rutherford argued against it, emphasizing the need to sell land to original settlers rather than speculators, and proposed his own plan for regulations.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
LAND OFFICE BILL.
In the debate in Congress on the Land-Office Bill, we notice the following observations.
Mr. Rutherford said there never was a bill of greater importance than that before the House. He said that House were the fathers of the Country, and that they were about to set out new farms for their sons; by doing which he hoped they should destroy that hydra, speculation, which had done the country great harm. Let us, said he, dispose of this land to original settlers, 150,000 families are waiting to become occupiers of this land (a member called out for his authority, when he said there were more than that number.) The bill before the House, he said, was exceptionable. It would not, he said, defeat the speculators. The monsters in Europe, added he, are ready to join the monsters here, to wallow up the country. He said this tract of country should be disposed of to real settlers, industrious, respectable persons, who are ready to pay a reasonable price for it, and not sold to persons who have no other view than engrossing riches.
He had made out a rough plan, he said of what struck him as proper regulations. He was proceeding to read the whole of them, when the chairman reminded him that the first section only of the bill was under consideration, He said he was against the whole bill, and might as well then express his sentiments upon it. He said he was a mere Child of Nature, an inhabitant of the Frontier, as untaught as an Indian; but he had some faint glimmerings of reason, and he was confident his plan would answer the desired purpose.
After explaining and dwelling some time upon the merits of it; he concluded with saying, " he loved his country and all honest men, but hated speculators, and hoped the present bill would not pass."
In the debate in Congress on the Land-Office Bill, we notice the following observations.
Mr. Rutherford said there never was a bill of greater importance than that before the House. He said that House were the fathers of the Country, and that they were about to set out new farms for their sons; by doing which he hoped they should destroy that hydra, speculation, which had done the country great harm. Let us, said he, dispose of this land to original settlers, 150,000 families are waiting to become occupiers of this land (a member called out for his authority, when he said there were more than that number.) The bill before the House, he said, was exceptionable. It would not, he said, defeat the speculators. The monsters in Europe, added he, are ready to join the monsters here, to wallow up the country. He said this tract of country should be disposed of to real settlers, industrious, respectable persons, who are ready to pay a reasonable price for it, and not sold to persons who have no other view than engrossing riches.
He had made out a rough plan, he said of what struck him as proper regulations. He was proceeding to read the whole of them, when the chairman reminded him that the first section only of the bill was under consideration, He said he was against the whole bill, and might as well then express his sentiments upon it. He said he was a mere Child of Nature, an inhabitant of the Frontier, as untaught as an Indian; but he had some faint glimmerings of reason, and he was confident his plan would answer the desired purpose.
After explaining and dwelling some time upon the merits of it; he concluded with saying, " he loved his country and all honest men, but hated speculators, and hoped the present bill would not pass."
What sub-type of article is it?
Politics
What keywords are associated?
Land Office Bill
Congress Debate
Speculation
Original Settlers
Rutherford Speech
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Rutherford
Domestic News Details
Key Persons
Mr. Rutherford
Outcome
mr. rutherford opposed the bill and hoped it would not pass.
Event Details
In the debate in Congress on the Land-Office Bill, Mr. Rutherford argued that the bill was of great importance and criticized it for not defeating speculators. He advocated disposing of land to original settlers, estimated 150,000 families waiting, and proposed his own rough plan of regulations, expressing opposition to the entire bill.