the same support. It had been said, that the officers of the militia almost universally were dissatisfied with this measure; and the decision, at a meeting of 32 officers at the St. Alban's, had been conceived to be the general expression of the opinions of 500 officers, who composed that respectable body. This statement was wholly incorrect, no general conclusions could be drawn from such a circumstance; many officers had already expressed their ooncurrence, and it might be more prudent if some others, in particular situations, would not be hasty in proclaiming their

into the regular army for life. He would find that he would procure none but those whose dissolute lives might make it convenient or desirable for them to change their situations, or who, induced by the bounty, which would enable them to get drunk for a few weeks, might enlist with a view of afterwards deserting. He could not forget the shameful scenes which had occurred when a similar measure was formerly adopted. He recollected, though he took no merit to himself from the circumstance, that his regiment was in a higher state of discipline than most of the militia regiments then were. The conse- disapprobation. quence was that few of his men volunteered, The Earl of Carnarvon rose and spoke He received a complaint on the subject as follows: If every day did not convince from lord Melville, and he at the time me that public faith and public honesty stated to that noble lord the real cause of were of little importance in the eyes of the supposed failure on the part of his many statesmen, I should be indeed surreginient. Wishing to avoid the recur- prised at the proposition now under disrence of a similar circumstance, he recol-cussion, when the ministerial breath is lected too that he had applied to the noble scarce cold which held out to the country, earl opposite (Buckinghamshire), and al- before a consenting parliament who though he declined giving him any assu- adopted the pledge, that this system, derance in his official capacity, he gave him grading to the militia, and of the highest to understand, as a friend, in the most injustice to those on whom it was an unequal satisfactory terms, that no such measure burthen, should never be again recurred should again be resorted to. He left it to. We are, indeed, told that necessity, to those noble lords who formed part both in the management of public affairs, has of the late and present administration, to neither faith, nor honesty, nor law; that reconcile this in the best way they could.the necessity of the existing moment will The Earl of Westmoreland said, that objec-justify every deviation from the soundest tions were made, both to the principle of principles of the past. We bave been the bill itself, and to the time when it told that though it might be fit and proper, was produced. The first objection was at one time, that the defensive force of grounded on some supposition, that the the country, in the form of a militia, should measure was unconstitutional. It was be augmented at the expence of the land true, that the term constitutional was ap- occupier, it was equally fit and proper, at plied with considerable latitude, according another time, that the militia should be to the opinions noble lords entertained of reduced, and converted from an appropublic measures. By the statute 30 Geo.priated to a disposable force. All this, I 11. the militia was to serve 3 years, and am ready to admit, may be in possibility, then was to be permitted to enter into and in the abstract true, and justifiable by the army, or to engage in any other occu-an imperious necessity; but parliament pation. What then could there be uncon-will, no doubt, expect the clearest proof stitutional so directly opposed to the of the peculiar necessity which is at this feelings of noble lords, as friends to the moment paramount to all other consideraBritish monarchy, if, after a period of 2 tions. Necessity has been, however, truly years, they had the same privilege they called the tyrant's plea; and if parliament would enjoy at the termination of 3 years? is, as it ought to be, a jealous parliament, Much had been objected on the ground of watching with patriotic care over the rights parochial expence; but on a fair calcu-and interests of the people, it will distinlation, by this bill, little or no difference guish between a necessity simply asserted, would be occasioned in that respect: what and that which is distinctly proved. We was thrown upon the parishes in the way are told that this measure is no novelty: of ballot, would be counterpoised by the unfortunately it is not; nor is it a novelty, relief given in respect to the families of in the long and changeful history of par17,000 men who would no longer receive liament, delivered down to us stained with

the variation of each soil, and on which he is capable of submitting to such dis
motley and disfigured stock we have graceful control I have a right to say, for
grafted the more subtle poison of our he himself has told us so by uttering the
days, that parliament should, on the bare threat and supposing its successful opera->
assertion of any of its members, without tion. [Here lord Westmoreland rose and
the slightest proof, acknowledge necessi-said that he meant no threat, but a friendly
ties of state unknown to all the world be- caution.] Lord Carnarvon continued:--
sides but though every species of neglect The noble lord has not by his explanation
and injustice may have its precedent in (I had nearly said letter) made his case
the history of parliament, and in the much better. The popularity of a consti-
practice of ministers, I shall think it my tutional militia for home defence not ex-
duty to suppose, that parliament does not ceeding 32,000 men, in 1757, induced the:
therefore mean to sanction neglect or in-land owners to petition for such force, and
justice, and that it will not act blindly or to charge themselves with the expence
of:
without proof and conviction of the abso-the levy. The offered establishment was a
lute necessity. The noble lord who spoke accepted, but it never found favour in the
last seems to think that the proof of neces-eyes of ministers, commanders in chief
sity is his assertion of it; he also con- and generals; they harassed the land occu
cludes that the present bill is entirely con-piers by the burthen of its augmentation,
sonant to the principles of the militia, and the officers by its reduction and con
because the militia, in its original forma- version of the regiments, which they had:
tion, was only for a limited period, and formed for the internal defence of the
contained a clause by which a rotation of country, into a drill for foreign service.
officers and men were secured to the The military system of this country has
County; but nothing can be more clear been in a constant state of fluctuation for
than the difference between an establish- nany years, but more particularly since.
ment, in which the officers and men of a the late war. This is the only country in
county had a rotation of service that gra- Europe that has not a regular, fixed and
dually made the whole county fit for its well-known rule by which to arm them-
defence, and a premature destruction of selves for offence and defence in time of
that defensive force, raised at the expence war. We have wavered between war mi-
of the land occupiers, which is effected by litias; volunteers of shopkeepers, who
this bill. The noble lord who spoke last cannot quit their shops; armies for limited
does not, indeed, rely much upon the ar-service, to be afterwards tempted to voluns
guments he has used, (and in that I am teer into unlimited service; new fangled,
not surprised), but he has endeavoured to antiquated, and unpracticable preroga
augment their efficacy by threats. The tives, dragged out of the charnel house of..
noble lord is a cabinet minister, filling a rotten and decayed usurpation, to bolster
high office and a confidential situation;up a modern system of unconstitutional
he assumed tones and gestures which ren-defence, more odious and alarming than
dered the threat intelligible to those who the invasion which it was intended to
could scarce conceive its absurdity; he meet. The constitutional principle of a
reminded those who hold the offices of regular army, with the consent of an ex-
county lieutenants, and command countyisting parliament, so jealously asserted and
regiments, that great persons have lost
such offices for offensive opinions which
they held; he hinted that the subject was
delicate, but he advised deliberation and
caution to those who held these opinions,
before they ventured to urge them. This
threat, judecent in itself and disrespectful
to the house, as disgraceful to him who
uttered it as offensive to those to whom it
was addressed, can have no other effect
than to raise the contempt of the last
and to couvince all those who heard him
that the noble lord himself is capable of
conforming his opinion to the pleasure of
those from whom he holds his office; that

preserved at the revolution in the decla
ration of rights, and re-echoed annually in
the preamble of the mutiny act, has been
trampled under foot by an incomprehen-
sible act, known by the name of the parish..
act, which, without raising the men for
present use, (in which it has failed), has
inflicted a fatal wound on the constitution,
by enabling the king, without the future
consent of parliament, to raise 57,880 men, :.
or 201. per man to raise them by. At :
the hopeless treaty of Amiens, called by
its negociators and panegyrists an experi
mental peace, and by Spain, in its late
negotiations, a continuation of the war; ..

at this peace, which, according to all opi- ficed the constitution of the country to the nions, gave no hopes of its continuation, little views of the moment, and rendered or removed the fear of war to a great it less the object of love and affection to distance, and of a vigorous, not a languid those who might look with indignation on war, which is a contradiction in terms, the errors and vices of ministers, and with after the full experience of the preceding loyalty and affection on the preserved war in which every trick had been prac- constitutional govt. of the kingdom. Since tised upon, and every shape given to the the peace, the militia has been made a militia; the practice of recruiting the pretence to raise men on the private purse army from the militia was, on the fullest of the land occupier, without relieving investigation, considered as an error, and him from his share of the public purse. solemnly renounced by govt. before au The learned lord on the woolsack knows assenting parliament; and they considered that when the army of the nation was of itas essential to the defence of the country old drawn from the land tenants of the and to the vigorous disposition of the crown holding by knight's service, such regular force, that the war establishment land occupier was exempted from all talof the militia should be unalienably in-liage or taxes, and was entitled, as of right, creased 20,000 men. On these assurances to a writ of exemption. The land tax has of govt. and pledges from parliament, the of late been made permanent on him; and land occupier acquiesced without a mur-a practice has, since the last war, been inmur, and the abated zeal of the patrons of troduced, which, besides an augmented the militia and its officers revived, and the militia to the number of 60,000 men, discipline of the militia was again restored. has burthened the private purse of the If this bill should pass, the faith of minis-land occupier, and not the treasury of ters and of parliament is for ever blasted; the nation, to pay the levy of above it will be obvious that pledges are put 31,000 for the army of reserve, and nearly forward to carry a point on public credu- 58,000 permanent force by the parish bill, lity, and not to be kept: their present amounting in the whole to 149,000 men justification cannot save the then admi- not stated by ministers in the army estinistration from the imputation of the mates. And let it not be imagined that grossest fraud. It is in vain to say, that the expence falls the less on the land it was just and equitable to hold out an occupier because the overseer of the poor unalienable defensive militia, to be aug-may, if he can, raise the men by the sum mented at the expence of the laud occu-paid to him by the crown; the act will piers, from the prospect of war; that it show that the crown cannot give a sum was just and equitable to raise such force above three fourths of the bounty that shall at their expence on the breaking out of be allowed to raise regular forces, and it the war, and immediately to seduce them is not easy for the overseer to obtain a man from that service for general service out when government offers for the same man of the public purse, leaving the land occu-one-fourth more. But should the crown pier with the expence of that home defence give only 6d. to the overseer, which the of which he is to be plundered. This is king's minister may do, or any sum much a gross fraud and injustice, and has no below three-fourths, as to make it quite termination, for if a change in public af-impossible to obtain a man, the penalty fairs can in so short a time justify such a of 201. per man attaches on the parishes, change in our defence, in as short a time to be paid by a rate from the land occu it may justify a return to the contrary piers, so that the 58,000 men may be system, and another augmentation may, raised at the will of the crown, at any time, with equal fitness and propriety, be raised and 201. per man, viz. 1,160,000l. The at the renewed expence of the land occu- whole sum raised, or to be raised, from pier. Govt, has the audacity to propose the land occupier's purse, since the peace, to parliament, and to do themselves in amounts to three millions and an half, be parliament, what no individual would sides the expences incurred in keeping up venture to do singly, out of parliament, in the force of 149,000 men. This is the rethe private intercourse of life; or if he ward which the land occupiers have repractised such iniquities, he would not be ceived for their generous and voluntary endured in society. Such conduct must levy of 32,000 men out of their private raise universal indignation and a feeling of purse; this is the treatment which they Criminality to ministers, who have sacri- have experienced for renouncing, through

acal, their domestic comfort, without pro- the troops embark for Holland, might withfessional views. These acts of hardship out the gift of prophecy, have anticipated and injustice have not even the dirty plea the event of that disgraceful expedition, of economy in obtaining men for general The troops in Egypt, which did so much service. A short statement will prove this honour to the country, were trained by a beyond doubt: 401. and even 501. has been incst able and illustrious officer, now comgiven for raising the war augmentation of mander in chief in Scotland, and by anomilitia. I put that at the low average of ther of extraordinary merit (sir Charles 301.; less than 12. I have not yet heard Stewart), of whose services the country of, as the intended seduction money, mak- had been deprived by death. This was ing together 421. for such soldier so ob- not a time, when measures proposed by tained; the present price of army recruit-ministers could be received with much ing is 161. per man, which deducted from confidence; the misfortunes in the East 421. as before stated, leaves a suplus of 261. Indies were known, and new calamities which is the sum given more than the man awaited us in the West, in consequence of is worth; so that the land occupier is the escape of the Rochefort squadron, charged 261. that the public purse (to which might be attributed, justly, perhaps, which he also pays) may be spared 41.; to the deficient vigilance of the noble lord and the subjects of Great Britain are plun- (Melville) at the head of the admiralty, dered, that ministers may appear less pro- We should not have had to lament such a fuse in the army estimates. They have mischance, if the gallant and illustrious also another motive, equally criminal, officer, who so lately filled that dignified which has induced the repeated augmen-situation, had still exerted his talents for tation of the militia with a view to its re- the protection and glory of the British duction. No necessity has been shewn for the present bill, and as the persons who Earl Camden supported the bill, on the moved the augmentation concur in the ground that an augmentation of the dispos present reduction, they must therefore have able force of the country was necessary, to intended to involve a large body of men, which the present measure would essenat the expence of the land owner, in a tially contribute. This was to be effected situation from whence they could be more in a manner as satisfactory as possible to easily seduced than from their domestic the feelings of the militia officers, who homes. These are tricks which may not were a body whom he respected, and who add to the disgrace of a profligate admini-were entitled to the approbation of the stration, but are below the dignity of parliament, and dangerous to its constitutional popularity.

navy.

country for their zeal and great exertions.

The Earl of Romney, after hearing from all parts of the house the praises of the The Duke of Montrose stated, that he militia and their officers, was much astofelt as a militia officer some regret at per-nished at the reward they were to receive; ceiving the necessity for reducing that the men were to be sent out of their native force, but however partial he was to the country, and the officers, who were all men militia force, he felt also that at the pre-of property, were to be stripped of the sent time the country was more in want of troops they had themselves trained for the regular disposable forces. He had heard various schemes suggested, but from the best attention he had been able to bestow on the subject, he was convinced that by no other means could a body of twenty or twenty-five thousand troops be added so rapidly, or with so little inconvenience, to our disposable force. The measure would not diminish our defensive force, for ministers were bound upon their responsibility always to keep in the country a sufficient number for its defence.

The Earl of Suffolk, both in the regulars, and in the militia, had frequently seen the serious mischief arising from irregularity and disorganization. Those who had seen

purpose of defending that property and their country. He was decidedly against the bill, which went to the destruction of the most constitutional force in this country. The militia, from the time of its introduction in 1756, had been gradually improving in discipline and utility. It had been officered by some of the most considerable individuals in the kingdom, and had far exceeded the expectations of those by whom the institution was originally brought forward. He was a friend, as much as any noble lord could be, to the augmentation of our disposable force; but be could never consent to this as the mode in which that augmentation could be most

advantageously obtained. The augmen-la committee, and that the clauses should tation so procured was at the expence of be filled up, and a sufficient time allowed the feelings and wishes of those who had for the consideration of the numerous probrought the militia to their present state visions it contained; which being agreed of improvement, and therefore he felt to, he moved that the house should to himself called on to resist the further pro-morrow resolve itself into a comunittes gress of the measure. to consider of so much of the prize agency

The Earl of Carlisle considered the pre-act as related to the salaries, perquisites, sent as only another wretched expedient of and emoluments, of Malta, and the Ber the present wretched administration. If muda and Bahama islands; which was they did not destroy the militia complete-agreed to.-Sir R. Lawley said, that in ly, it was only because they did not dare to consequence of the delay and difficulty at venture on so unpopular a measure, But tending it, he should move for the dis though they did not actually destroy the charge of so much of the order he for militia, they did every thing which could merly moved for, as related to the expence disgust all men of honourable feelings. of volunteer cavalry in respect to the arThey first employed some of the most re-ticles of horses and hair powder; which spectable gentlemen in the kingdom to motion was agreed to. He then moved exert all their time and influence in pre-for a detailed statement of the funds apparing the militia for service, and then they plicable to the expence of the volunteer withdrew the men from under their con- service, from the office of the agent gene trol. All the labour was undergone with-ral, together with the expence of that esta out any of the reward or the honour to blishment, and also the expence of paywhich their exertions were entitled. On ment of the staff of the volunteers, froni such grounds he opposed the bill, and de- the 24th of Sept. 1804, to the 1st of Jane clared his conviction that enlisting for a 1805-A message from the lords announce limited period was, in the present circum-ed that they had agreed to the coastways stances of Europe, the only effectual mode importation duty, and the excise duty of procuring that regular force, the necessity of which was on all hands admitted. [IRISH LUNATICS ASYLUM BILL.] His lordship illustrated these ideas at some John Newport moved the order of the day, length, and concluded with declaring his for the second reading of the bill for the pro determination to oppose the present inea-tection of Irish lunatics. He said, that the sure. The lord chancellor having put act of 27 Geo. III. c. 29, which impowerthe question, that the bill be read a second ed grand juries to report upon the state time, a division took place, when there ap-of the charitable establishments, had not peared, contents 102, non-contents 54; been carried into execution with any remajority 48. The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Thursday, April 4.

bills.

Sir

gularity. The principal object of this bill, was to remedy the inconvenience arising from the numerous establishments for be neficent purposes, yet very distinct in their nature, which were placed under the same general provisions. The act, sect. S, em powered the grand jury to provide a ward [MINUTES.] Mr. N. Vansittart took for lunatics, and the sum expended was the oaths and his seat, for Old Sarum.-to be accounted for by the surgeons of The London bread assize, and the Irish mi- the grand infirmary; and the consequence litia volunteer bills, were read a third time was, that 20 or 30 persons, in the unand passed.-Lord Stopford acquainted the happy state of mind alluded to, required house, that his majesty had been waited as much attendance, as would be neces→ upon with the addresses of Friday last, and sary for 150 under the act now proposed. had been pleased to give orders accordingly. Another design of the bill was, that the -Sir W. Scott brought in a bill for the better accounts should be annually submitted to encouragement of seamen, and the more ef- the inspection and control of parliament fectually and speedily recruiting of his ma- He much lamented the neglect, in regard jesty's navy, which was read a first, and or- to the insane, in some of the districts of dered to be read a second time on Tuesday, Ireland, but he was happy to make an in order that it may be printed in the inter-honourable exception in favour of the val. He stated that he should move for neighbourhood of Waterford, where an in