Star. — London, England, 1803-08-11 00:00:00

expenfive fide which has been adopted I molt o' the volunteer corps, is fuels, as I am given to rinderaand and can very readily believe, has kept hack many rhoalands of brave and loyal men, v..l:n would cheerfully join the ranks of their neighbours and fellow-citiiens, and devote their lives for their King and Country, butt are prevented through their i n , t h,h:y hr afford to put on uniforms to extrava-, gawly xpecfive. This is a matter scrll worthy of conlideration and reform. Many thott:'ands had pm chafed their infirm ins before anv eligible regulation n this head could be foggefied; hut I am rue it would he at,ended with the belt effect, if henceforward the uniforms of the Volunteers were to be in the plaileft and cheapefl plan poffible ; and it is extremely de firoble, that men of rank and rerpeelability, who join tinfe Corps, would themfelves let the example of ' plainnefs and cheapnefs in their uniforms, which would obviate every thing like the filly ()Remotion and idle notion of fuperiority attached to fine clothes and glittering trinkets, amongil men who have a plain common caufe to fight for, and who thould confider that it is not the finery of a uniform that is of In much importance as thefirf of which the wearer's heart Is made. (Hear! bear! hear!) It is not tawdry and expenfive magnificence, out plain, hon.: ft, and manly bravery, that can rave the country. Betides, Sir, it is of the utmoll importance to render the Volunteer uniform as general as porGble amongfl the people. I with it to mee: the eye every where, and be worn by all men in the ordinary courfe of their avocations. I know, Sir, that in Ireland, when the peo ple of that Country fo gtorioully volunteered and armed, at their own etpence to defend their native land Apia! the menaced ins/4110n of Frar.ce,the whole country wore the proud livery of the Volunteer Afro ciations ; the artitan in his loam, the tradcfman be hind his counter, the merchant in his counting houfe, the farmer in his field, all bore the infignia of the Pau iot Soldier. The Honfes of Lords and Com mons were filled with Volunteers, in uniform ; the gallery, if any body could be fuppofed to be admitted there, was full of them : The Courts of Jullice were (rouded with them.—Lawyer and client, phintiff and defendant, jury and witnefs, all wore the fame patriot livery ; and a judge in that day would not at tend to the motion of a barriller who had not a milita ry uniform under his robe. I will, it thould be fo here. I am Pure it would eminently conduce to the interefis of patriotifm, as well as to economy; for I am told the expense of a plain military uniform is almoll incredibly cheap ; and, I am lure that, at the prefenr,of all periods, no garment, however fplendid or coMv, could be half to honourable; and, in all events, the principle, if adopted by the loyal, woald enable us to diflinguifh who are and who are not Volunteers for their Country. The next fubjee to which I would advert, is the places for exercife ; and I think it is of very great importance that, either at the expellee of Government or by voluntary fubfcrip tion, places for exercife Ihoold be provided, as much secluded as poffible from idle fpeltators, at leaf' until the difcipline of the Volunteers thould be pretty well advanced. Nothing tended more to retard difci pline, or aha(h the Volunteer Soldier from approach. ing the drill parade, where every man mull be a lit tle &Award in his fire} attempts, than the idle jeers, and horfe-laughs of a let of filly, ignorant fellows, who not having themfelves the fpirit to take up arms for their Country's defence, wilt to damp the ardour of thole who have that fpirit, by endeavouring to turn their early indexterity to ridicule. Many men there are, Sir, with firmnefs and courage to Rand the fire o f a battery, yet who cannot withltand fuch ridi cule. The Duke of Portland, with a libeiality high. bonouf able to his chatteast, has given up a public concert-room, his property, in Mary - la-bonne , for the Volonteers of his vicinage to exercife ; while thofe of the next dillriQ, who have hired that field called Lord's Cricket Ground, at a moll enormous ex pence, are yet expoled to the.perpetual annoyance of a crr.wd of idle fpeearors; as every fellow who can pay 6d. is admitted to the drill ground. I Should think it by no mc:o:s a flrong meafbre for Government, at loch a time as this, to appropriate Stich a piece of ground, as long as neeefrary, for the fervice of the Conntry, allowing to tie pro • prietnrs a proper compenfation.—The next fubjee to which I with to allude, is the patriotic Subferip• tint; ?tn.!, fa nobly originated by the Merchants of the City of London ; and, though, Sir, there are many high chilies of men, whole names I am alto tithed at not having Peen to that fubrcription, long before this time, yet I moil take it for granted they do Intend to come liberally forward, in a manner propor tioned to the rank they hold in the State, the wealth they poffefs, and the force in which they mull know and feel their example mull operate upon the feelings and fentiments of the Country :—For furely, Sir, it is at leall the duty of thole who cannot fcrve their Country in any other way, to come forward with their pries, and devote apart of their wealth for the encou ragement and remuneration of their leave, though indi gent countrymen, whole valour is to defend them in the polfitlion of the whole. I truß, Sir, the fupport of this fubfctiption will be general throughout the whole nation ; and though one of its original nbjeas was to provide for the u idows and orphansof thole who fhould gloriootly fall in their Country's defence—au objce, I admit Illghly praife worthy, as well as jull and ne cetrarf, yet I Ihnuld hope the fund will be fo Ample, as to mai:: it prudent to devote a confider:dile por tion, in the ließ inflatice, to encourage the valo ur o f thole whether Volunteers, Yeomanry, or Militia, who Shall be foremoß for the defence of their Country, by providing for their wise, and families in their ahfence, and thereby giving that quick decifion to the fate of the enemy, %%Lich ihall prevent the meal - ion of or phaniiin and widowhood, rather Coat, wait for occur rences that (hail demand loch an appropriation of the fond The next laurel of encouragement to the va• lour of our brave dereadeis, to whist] I would allude, is the ••Tnerofity of m ,: y fair Countrywomen and in an appeal ~ o their hearts on this ordinal, occafisr, I ra j ter with to win the caule of their Country to the a ivitcAcy of their own feelings, than attempt, by any I inguage if my own, to urge arguments that mull he to much more eloquently antic ip•ted. I rely that, in the' gl•oioui caufe r f their Country, the liberality of &t -ruth Ladies will not be the haft contPiciiials: and in this reliance I am lore I !hall not be dilapp - iinted. With refprEt to the military fituat ion of the Cianaty, ihall au ,, t lay one word. becaare I scifh, if prZule, to av;•iil involving (elf in stse ferape. It ha% raid, ti . „ it , ecalsi exchange our V.iiii.teer Ariz!) , f I ruio.s of the Lit.e, it wu,,lJ be a true Wiry to Licictr.: the Country. I admit it might be a very true way, but certainly not the only way : to any man who make; the atrertion, I anfwet, that this may be a very gnoi ar7otnent to a military matt, ;nit, not to a conlii• tutional Member of Parliament. Gentlemen who ar gue this way, are apt to look over the country with ..that is called a ry.% But in thus rezonnoi• tring the gtound, they frequently overlook a firtaß, hot oat urj,r', , ),ant firtrrir, called the CoNSTITI,TION. Sir, if I a m alked %khalif:: a force of foo,eoo Troops of the Line, Cavalry and Infantry, would not be a better defence than a limilat uumh.:r of Militia and Yeomanry ? 1 admit it would. But then I add, it is phyfically intiv , frihle, from the nature of your Country, to have Each :t force. But then your force for defence is neceftat iiy, like your Conititution, of that mixt nature, which belt fecures its own power. It is computed of Troops of the Line, Militia, Yen. manry, and Volunteers, and thus contains, within it fell, inch principles of di ii in..Ftion as, like party•walls, ' leave to ftrengthen the building. This principle of divitou, Maury fhews us to be molt falntary for the independence and fecurity of our Country and our Liberties. Had our Army been all of one delcription, examples in other nations would have (hewn the pnifi• bility of their being perverted to the worn purpofes. I do not fay it is probable loch an abufe would obtain in thisCountry,but we have fern in France an army of the line,lhid to ba attached to their King, and officered by men whore loyalty to the Monarchy had never been q llioned, yet, in a sew fhort days, this army de fertedie that Monarch, and gave up every thing to revolution and anarchy. Against fuch a reftilt, the di vifional principle of our force is a ftrong harrier.— Though fo far am I from fl - peeling the pnflibility of ditaffation amonglt any part of our armies, that I am convinced there never was a period of our hiftory, in which the loyalty of the whole and every part was mote ardent and lincere. I look to the attitude of the Country at this moment, and I feel no appre henfionsfrom anything which the enemy may menace or attempt. 1 have but one word more, Sir, to fay, and it relates to fomething which has been lall aids Majcfly's Nlinillers being furred to treat for a Peace with the enemy on Britifh ground. Much as I with for peace, and much as I might be inclined to facri• See for irs attainment upon any other ground, vet do I decidedly fay, no peace with an enemy on Britilh ground ; and I declare firmly, that any Minifler who would be capable of entering into any treaty for peace with the enemy, fo long as the batik foot of a French &Mier trod on Britilk ground, would defer ye to be attained of High Trterfon, and I would ,myfelf be one of the Ara to impeach him. Having laid thits much, Sir, I beg leave once more to depro case any thing like chfunion or peevifh faftion, within or without there walk. I beg leave, Sir, to recom mend, that Gentlemen, when they go froth this day —the last of the Seffion from this Houfe, may leave their party fpirit in their feats here, jute as we deposit our hats to keep our places (a genera! laugh). I beg that Gentlemen, however unfavourably difpored to his Majelly's Minilters, may not thew that zeal without doors that they have (hewn within, to depre ciate their abilities, or difcourage that confidence in his Majelly's Government. fo neceffary at this ar• duous moment, to unite the energies and uphold the fpirit of the nation. Such a conduflevery honest man mutt hold to be reprehenfible, if not criminal, in the higheß degree. In going forth now to our refpative diaries, to ufe the language of our immor tal Bard, let us "Part our mingled colours once again," and if it feem meet, let us on our return to this Houfe after the reeds, refume our dillentions ; but let us be unanimous in the cattle of common danger, and not rifle in our contention the laity of our Country and Con fiitution. I (hall now, Sir, conclude by moving, t. That the Thanks of this Houle be given to the Corps of Yeomanry and Volunteers throughout the United Kingdom, for the promptitude and zeal with which they have affociated for its defence :" to which fhould the Houle agree, it is my purpofe to move, that the Refolution he commnnicated by you, Sir, to the Commanding Officers of every Volunteer Corps throughout the kingdom. And, in order that their names may be tranfinitted as a worthy example to pollerity, I (hall afterwards move, "That the proper officers do lay before this Houle a return of the names of all the Volunteer Corps, by the commencement of next Seffion, in order to their being regularly recor ded upon the Journals." General GASCOIGNE feconded the motion. He thought that the motion was of a nature which would not encounter oppolition. Without taking up the time of the Houfe, he had to beg their attention to a very few obfervations arifing nut of the motion. He adverted to the prevailing prat ice of Gentlemen of refpeftability and learning in the different profeflions, particularly in the law, entering as privates into dif ferent Alfociations. He could not but ditapprove of this as highly inexpedient, and thought it they did' take on them the charafter of a fOldier, they &ild affume the Ration to which they were entitled by their rank and influence. Inflead of being privates, he could not help advifing them to aft as offirs in the Affociations to which they belonged. The Hon. General adverted with exultation to the number of Volunteers already training to arms. They were not Iris than three hundred thoufand men, and many other offers which had been rejefted on acccunt of the limitatinn of the extent of the Ivrvicc, were about to be renewed m a more extended form, which would collate them acceptance. With filch an extenfive force as this, with our Militia and Supplementary Militia embodied, and with the Army of iteferve daily receiving large augmentations, he trolled that we fhould not long remain on the defenfive,but would on the contrary annoy the enemy with vi3our, and he milled with equal fuccefs. He trolled that we would threaten the threatener. and (hew a proud and info lent enemy that we not only did not dread his attack, hut polkaed both the powers and the means of an noying him on his own Ihores. The fpirit of the country s.as now high, and prepared for great and fplendid exertions. He hoped it would not he la feted to evaporate without promoting lonic great ' triumph. A defenfive war WAS contrary to the fyliem ptirfued by the ablest Generals. It was a tfyllem con• trary to the feelings and difpont ions of Engliainren Nothing reconciled the people of this country to great facrifices, fo much as the crpeflation of honour and glory. We had now the means of gratifying this expelation, and the opium unit y ought not to be lon. We had, or at leaf mould loon have, a large dif i rofablz ll rcc: We had a fleet equal to the' coin , b:ned narice of F.uronc, to cover a defcent i 1 an erre ' my's dominions. We had a drawbridge over the Channel, ohich we could let down at pleat:ore. lie, from ev:ry confideration, thong] y recommended the expediency of off:ofive operations. Before the lion. General las down, he took occallon to allude to the propoled cßabliihment of an exclutive Corps of Ca valry, confiqing of Gentlemen of rank and fort u ne. Ile could not pretend to fay, whether the off.:r of fervice from filch a corps had been accepted. He had no difficulty, however, in raying, that he conlidered the formation of fuch a corps hizhly impolitic, and calculated to promote no beneficial end He was convinced tivat the individuals of which it might be compofed might difpole of themfelvcs much more advantageously for the public fervice, than by forming this esclufive as iftocratical eflablifhment. But there was fornething in the ellablithment which was really altogether ludicrous. It teemed, if he was rightly informed, thht flick Gentlemen Cavalry, or at lean to many of them as could afford it, were each to be provided with a fervant to take care of their !torte— (a laugh.) An eltablifhment on fuels a footing was, he pronounced. altogether nugatory, and could tie ver afford any effectual fervice to the country.— ' When men volunteered their Cervices, they ought to do it in a way which would be really efficient in a moment of difficulty and danger. The Hon. Gene sal concluded his obfervations with deeming his con viAion that the Houle would feparate wide the fatis faetory knowledge that we not only had nothing to fear from the enemy, but that on the other hand, if our means of annoyance were properly direfted, he had much to tear from our vengeance. Mr. CHAPPLE gave his cordial affent to the mo tion. On the prelent occasion, however, he felt him. fell called upon to put the Houfe in poffellion of a raft which it appeared to him important for them clearly to understand. It was, '-se believed, in the recolleftion of thole who now heard him, that during the debates on the Bill for the General Defence of the country, a profpeet was held out that the fervices of the Officers of the Eaft India Company might be employed wish the greatell advantage at this difficult crilis. He had now to Rate, that the whole of thofe Officers had made an explicit offer of their fervices, and their offer had not been honoured with even the flightelt acknowledgement. This filence he could not but think was ungenerous to shore who had come forward in fo dilinterefted a manner. It could nor., he was Cure, be from any idea that there brave men were unfit to be employed, that no notice had been taken of the offer of their fervices. Surely thcfe men who, at Seringapatam and in all the long contefts, which had terminated in our final fitbjugation of the Myforean Empire, could not be fuppofed to be defi cient in courage. To what was it then that the re jection of their offer was to be attributed? He pro felled himfelf altogether unable to acennnt for it.— He had hated ;his fact, with the view of giving thole who were belt able to account for it an opportunity l ot explaining what teemed to contravene a farther declaration, made in the moll unequivocal terms. — The Hon. Member reinforced the views of the laft fpeaker ref:lathing the propriety of offenfive opera tions, and entered into a diliptifition refpefting the application of our fubjefts in India. He contended that they might be employed with the greatelt effect in the Weft Indies, and even in Europe. As the Hon. Member broke off this part of his fpeech abruptly, we have not thought it neceffary to gra into any de tail of this part of his argument. Lord CASTIAIitAGH replied to what had been Paid on the fubjeA of the offers of the Captains in the Eaft India fervice. He wilhed the Houfe to underftand, that thefe offers had been received with all fuitable refpeet. Their offers had been made through the channel of the Court of DireCtors,and he could Rate with confidence, that the Commander in Chief had written an anfwer to them, couched in terms of the greatefl refpel and the nrongelt approbation. Whe ther any of them had actually been appointed he would not take upon himfelf to fay, but if they had not hitherto been appointed, he did not think it diffi cult to account for the delay. He needed not to re mind the Houfe, that with retpeet to Field Officers, ' their appointment was not in the first inflance to be expeEted. They could not take precedence of Ofli• cars who had ferved direr ly under a commiffion from the fovereign. With regard to Officers under the rank to which he had now referred, there was one circumßance to be taken into notice, which, to a certain degree, interfered with their appointment.— ' This circumflance was, that many of them were in ; this country on furlough, sad were liable to he re called as form as the period to which the furlough ex tended had expired. It was not, therefore, a matter I of futprile, if choice was made of thofe whore ap pointment might be expefted to be permanent, and not liable to the fame uncertainty. Mr. WIND/1•M, in a very long fpeech, in which he went over his ufual ground, flared what he con ceived to be objections to the motion, but what, in reality, embraced the whnie conduit of Ministers. He denied that he had ever on auy occallan fpokc dilParagingly of the Volunteers of the country. He had the highelt opinion cf their teal, their patrintilm, their loyalty, and their public 11)44 In the day of trial he had no doubt that they would do their duty ; but becaufe he entertaMed this opi nion, Ise could not allow that he was to be acctoi.d becaufe he could not think them equal to a regirlar army in a crisis of difficulty and danger. 111 he had laid nothing on the fubjeft bids thole very Ho nourable Gentlemen who :moiled him with loch vio lence had not themfelves advanced. The Honoura ble Gentleman who introduced the difinflion, and who of late teemed the forenoon in the ranks of hli nitters, had accufed him of injuflice on his attacks on Minitlers. He had afferted that, whatever were the actions of Ministers, they never were allowed credit for their exertions. For hit part, what he charged Ministers for was their total want of decision and energy. They had no will or determination of their own, bust were continually guided by reference to the opinions of others. They did not calculate what was right in itfeif, but what would be agreeable to the country Gentlemen t what would pleafe their military fupporters in the Fiunde ; how the Gentle men :it Lloyd's Coffee•houfe would be Eiji:poled to rthrfh their &pinions. To this indeeilion of caarafter were to he aferibetl all the weak and ruincus mca lures which had diilingoifired the whole of our con duel. To this were to be referred all the advantages which the enemy gained, from the fi;yatatiire of the j riChnIiLLIIICS Pease, down to the przfent moment.] ' There topics being difenfred in the Right Hon. Ct n tleinan's ulual impreffive manner, he c o ne to the tli• teR confidetation of the motion.—He was not poled to give it any thing like direct oppolition. Ile could not, however, help thinking. that it was pre• mature. Suppoling himfeif in the fittiation of a Member of a Volunteer Affiociation, he Mould cet tainly be dirpored to decline thefe honours, to which he mull know lie had no pretenfions. It was time' enough to think the Volunteers after they had per formed tome meritorious fervice. In coming forward as Volunteers they bad hitherto only fought a tefuge from compolfory fervice. It ought not to he • •rgot-. ten that a vote of that Houle, expreffive of thank:, was no light and idle ceremony. It was the higheft honour which could be conferred by the Legiflion e. of the Biitilh Empire. It was the hightft praile re-: fervcd for the greateß heroes in the performance e 4 • the moll fplendid Cervices. But on what occalion seas' it now that a vote of thanks was to pars in favour of the Volunteer Alfociations, formed at a crifis of un paralleled difficulty and danger, when it -.eae the fog lemn duty of every man to come forward in dt'rlei, of his country? If Inch a vote now naffed, what great er honours were to await them in the moment of the moll fplendidviftory? This was the higheß of all boons. and nothing awaited in floret° excite expeftation onto animate to new exertions. If Bonaparte and his le gions had been difcomfited, he fliould have thought' that a fair opportunity for bringing forward filch a motion. He would then he ready to thank the Volun teers, for having Caved the country from the greareft evil with which it was ever threatened. He would be ready to concur in a vote to the Volunteers of Diffilin, who had been fortunate enough by their exertions to Cave that capital from deftruftion. Viewing the mat ' ter in this light, the Right Hon. Gentleman thought the motion premature. Purfuing his fpeech, he en. treed into a very detailed fyftem of argument. He protelled firongly againft any attempt to commitl military dilcuilions. He expreffed no knowledge of the Cubjeft, except what was derived from general seafoning. He did, however, derive much informa tion from the fpeech of an Hon. Colonel near him (Colonel Cratifurd), and he thought that Minißers would do well to attend to many of his fuggellions. But he begged leave diftinftly to declare, that ha would neither give up his right nor his capacity to form a judgment on military details, however much they might be difcouraged by Minillers. It was per. feftly well known, that Minifters themfelves mutt form their opinions on thefe fubjetts from the °pi. nions of military men. He begged for hirofelf a fimi r lar indulgence of opinion, and the refult of his deli. Iteration on thefe opinions was, that Minifters had not hitherto mpdified their plans of applying, the meafures fanflioned by Parliament for the defence of the country. He was afraid that the application of their own plan would be erroneous and Wet:five. In itluthation of this pofition, the Hon. Gentleman entered into a long argument, Rating, that it was a miftaken notion to fuppofe that whatever was of no aftual good might alto be of no harm, particularly when the intention was good. He knew that if any General Officer were to be afked what he thought of many of their Corps? he would fay—. 6 Oh, give me none of them, I want no fuch affillance, they will Rand in the way." This was founded upon the fame fort of reafoning as a man going to per form any (hong athletic exercife entertained, wheal he was obfel ved to difencutnber himfelf ori loch part of his clothes as he thought' molt likely to Impede his power of action. In laying this, however, he did not mean to objed to the fyßron of Volunteering in general, but only to that fort of inferior Ariflocracyin which Houfekeepersmight only to alfociate with Ploulekeepers,orthe opulent om ly with the opu'eut. He approve.: of a rOilest Volna. teer body, who might be confidered as a fort of look light infantry, expert at loading and Ready at firing, who, without any furtherknowledge of military diki pline, might be found extremely ufcful to a regular be. dy in annoying the enemy in every diredien to pinch he might turn wi:hin their own dieltiel. He lamented that the fuggefiion of a gallant officervear Cranford) had not been adapted, as to the ufe foe. tification ; then one great battle could not de cide any thing—the enemy would find himfelf cut oil from his refources s with his force exhauffing, dwindlig:g away at every inch of ground that he adVanced, and the regular force of the country would find itself materially affilled in every diftriti by a for of hall trained, half-done, parboiled military force, a he might call it. But the prefent fort of volunteer. ing, as it wastermed, created great confufioniand hi caufed a great ferment throughout the country ; he thought it was fomething like had July brewings, and he was afraid it would not be fit to drinkle fore Chrilimas ; thefe were only Volunteers in a for of technical fenfe, a fort of compulfury volunteers:He would a ith to fee no man compelled to join a regular many other force, until anenemy thould alually land and then that every (hand timid be employed in ha rolling the enemy by every means bell fuited to hi capacity cr his fituation. The Hon. Castleman had recommended 'to the Houfc to dedicate one day to unanimity ; this might feem very good doetr'-e to h o ld forth in fupport of his motion, but he did not recoiled tl.at in the courk of ten or twels. years' experience, he had found the pradiee of the • Honottrab:e Gentleman to coincide with. fuels a feltillntilt. He had never found him particulat:f delicate as to the time at which he might chnofe to traterfe, or to inquire into the conduet of his ra. jelly's Afinilers. Perfons who objeded to Ord merely upon principles to which all taxation war liable, might be fuppoled Mlle a fadious oprfition— trot thofc who oppofed only what reailin oidated them to be wiring, and who never objected to ar: taxes which were found to be neceffary for It: fupport of the Rate, could not Purely be included i that defet iption. This he thoright vecefiary to fo. in I ttil ice to his own understanding as wt.ll as to ; charade/ ; and indeed he though. Come Honoorall Gentleman would do him the joßice to fay, that I. was not foci) an extreme bungler as to make Life an oppotition to Minifiers which was liable to foc. cenfure. Befote he fat down, there was runt part of the I lonourable Gentleman's( Mr.S's.)fpeet. to which he would advert ; he had. herklet hi , exh taboo to nnanimity to night, carved his ideas of firidion out of doors; he had laid a fort of talk op' every Gentleman belonging to that Honle, as what lie was to do in the holidays; they wereto ho)) whatever circumflanees might wife, ever utioht be the condud of Minitters, not vaunt